Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Thursday, allocated farmlands to 26 legislators in the State House of Assembly as parts of efforts aimed at ensuring food security and in support of the agricultural resurgence initiative of the federal government.
The governor, who presented letters of allocation to the lawmakers to commemorate the first anniversary of the 10th Legislature at the Governor’s Office in Abeokuta, said the initiative was to make them contribute towards making the state the food basket of the country.
He said: “I recall that I had promised to allocate agricultural land to all the Ogun State legislators as part of our food security and agricultural resurgence initiative, which is in line with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Today, in fulfilment of the promise and in commemoration of your one year in office, I am glad to present to you the letters of allocation for the speaker and the 25 members of the House of Assembly, and I hope that you would take advantage of this opportunity to ensure that you begin to grow what you eat and eat what you grow. This will be your way of ensuring the fulfilment of our desire to make Ogun state the bread basket of the nation”, Abiodun added.
The governor, who lauded the Assembly members for their commitment to the principles of democracy, good governance, and the welfare of the citizens, observed that their dedication to legislative excellence has been instrumental in driving the progress and development of the state
The governor maintained that the lawmakers had, in the last one year, passed various bills and resolutions aimed at improving the lives of the people, noting that their tireless efforts, unwavering integrity, and collaborative spirit with the executive has made the state one of the best in the country.
He expatiated: “For each of us, whether in the Executive or Legislative branch, history has presented a rare opportunity to lead and serve the people who have placed their hopes and aspirations on our ability to deliver the much-needed dividends of democracy. In doing so, we must understand and decide which side of the divide we want to be and how we wish to be remembered,” he added.
Abiodun assured the legislators that his administration is committed to working closely with them to advance key initiatives that would further drive the state’s development just as he pledged to prioritize investments in infrastructure, healthcare, and technology, to make the state remains competitive and prosperous.
He advised: “Together, we have a great task ahead. The expectation of our people is vast. We must strive to create an inclusive society, where every citizen has the opportunity to thrive.”
Earlier in his remarks, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, described the last one year as turbulent and filled with tension but maintained that the desire to give the people a purposeful representation saw them through the turbulence period.
He thanked the governor for embarking on the complete renovation and restoration of the assembly complex, adding that 24 new toilets have been added while water supply has been restored in offices of the legislators in the complex.
While assuring the governor of the Assembly’s cooperation in making laws that would fast track the socio-economic development of the state, the Speaker assured that the legislators would be guided by the fact that they were in the Assembly to represent the interest of their constituents.
