Giving back to Ondo constituents
The member representing Ondo East/West Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, Hon. Joseph Iranola Akinlaja recently organized a multi-million naira empowerment programme for his constituents. Undoubtedly the first of its kind empowerment by any lawmaker in the political history of Ondo East/ West Federal Constituency, the lawmaker is also the Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), organized the event on Saturday 21 April, 2018 at Ondo where a good number of his constituents went home richer and happier.
This empowerment was one out of the several ones already organized by Hon. Akinlaja since he became the representative of his constituency in 2011. Not less than 160 constituents that had earlier undertaken two-week skills acquisition trainings in different vocations such as cosmetology, bee-keeping, beauty and makeup were presented with N3 million cash grant to start up their respective businesses by Hon. Akinlaja.
The highly respected and responsible federal lawmaker equally made a generous donation of three (3) 18-Seater buses to three (3) institutions in Ondo Kingdom. The beneficiaries were the Ondo Development Committee (ODC), the Council of Olojas and the Iyalojas and Iyalajes of Ondo kingdom for the enhancement of their performance and efficient discharge of their responsibilities to the paramount ruler and the Kingdom at large.
The lawmaker equally presented 18, 000 litre capacity petroleum tanker worth millions of naira and a N million interest free loan as a start-up capital to the youths of Ondo Kingdom. The essence of this particular donation according to Akinlaja was the get the youths profitably engaged and productive.
Meanwhile, Hon. Akinlaja had earlier facilitated the construction of a 3-kilometers road linking Ureje to Lomitoto and other communities in Ondo East Local Government Area. This road according to the federal lawmaker was facilitated to boost agricultural productivity by farmers in the area and to ensure food sufficiency in the affected area as well.
In addition, a 3,000 litre water reservoir was also constructed and donated to the residents of Oke Sare in Ondo West Local Government Area by Hon. Akinlaja. He had also commissioned three motorized boreholes at Fasehun Orimolade community of Ondo town in Ondo West Local Government Area.
The immediate past governor of Ondo state, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko who was a special guest at the empowerment programme praised Akinlaja for not relenting in his regular empowerment of the constituents. He particularly appreciated the lawmaker for his thoughtfulness of giving back to his people in the mould of impactful skills acquisition programme as well as the opportunities of financial lifelines.
The former governor landed Akinlaja for the organized entrepreneurial trainings and the start-up capital for his constituents who are graduates.
In the remarks of Osemawe of Ondo kingdom, Oba Dr. Victor Kiladejo, Jilo III who was ably represented by the Lisa of Ondo kingdom, High Chief Simeon Oguntimehin did appreciate the kind and laudable gestures of Hon. Akinlaja. He openly declared that the lawmaker has given and still giving the constituents quality representation never offered by others before him.
In his words, Hon. Akinlaja informed that the empowerment programme was altruistically borne out of his desire to make the constituents self-reliant and employers of labour rather than seekers of unavailable white collar jobs.
Femi Salako, Abuja