Lawmaker partners UN, NILDS to tackle challenges in Lagos community

Over 300 residents empowered in Oshodi-Isolo council

The lawmaker representing Lagos Mainland 1 Constituency, Lara Oyekan Olumegbon, has partnered with the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) and the United Nations Women organisation to curb inadequate water supply, housing and job challenges besetting the people of Lagos Island.

Olumegbon, who spoke during a one-day community engagement that focused on advancing women’s political participation and representation in Lagos Island, praised the community for their support and encouraged collaboration with international organisations like the United Nations (UN).

She noted that access to clean water is part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and called on the community to pay taxes to help fund the government’s initiatives.

In his remarks, a representative of the United Nations and NILDS, Research Fellow and Head, Social Sector Division, Department of Economic and Social Research, Osaretin Godspower Okungbowa, said that collaboration between international organisations and local councils would accelerate rural development.

Relatedly, a former Supervisory Councillor for Works and Housing and currently an aspirant for the chairmanship position in Oshodi-Isolo Local Council, Gbolade Sadiq, has empowered over 300 people in the council area to mark his 54th birthday.

The empowerment programme, which took place, yesterday, in Mafoloku, Oshodi, saw the sharing of N10,000 cash gift each to beneficiaries. Sadiq said that the project was his little way of giving back to society and showing support to small business owners in a bid to alleviate their plight amid the current hardship in the country.

He said that the beneficiaries were carefully selected from seven wards in the council, including members from the Community Development Association (CDA), Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), League of Imams, as well as artisans and non-indigenes.

On water scarcity in the community, MD of Lagos Water Corporation, Mukhtaar Tijani, assured that plans are underway to establish water treatment plants closer to Lagos Island.

He emphasized collaboration between the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and the Water Corporation in executing these projects and urged residents to avoid vandalism of public infrastructure to ensure the smooth rollout of water services.

He noted that water production is expensive and the primary water treatment plants are currently undergoing rehabilitation.

On affordable housing, the General Manager, Lagos State Mortgage Boards (Lagos H.O.M.S.) Bayowa Forsythe emphasized the effort of the state government to provide housing to the teeming Lagosians.

He said Lagos Homs are subsidized by the state government and over 20,000 people benefited and become homeowners in Lagos.

Chairman of the APC Lagos Island, Olayiwola Sadiq, expressed concerns of residents regarding water scarcity. He called on the government to restore water supply throughout the constituency, lamenting the increasing reliance on local water pushers, whose water supply is often unhygienic.

“As for water, what we want the government to do is to restore its supply throughout the constituency, as the issue of local water pushers didn’t use to be a common scenario before now,” Sadiq said.

He also praised Honourable Olumegbon for staying close to the people, urging her to continue her good work. “The closer you are to the people, you enjoy them.”