- empowers 200 widows and petty traders at 7th constituency forum in Ifako Ijaiye
The yearly Lagos State House of Assembly Stakeholders forum held across the 40 constituencies in Lagos state on Thursday with calls for all hands to be on deck to fight the scourge of drug abuse.
At Ifako Ijaiye, the law maker representing Ifako Ijaiye 1, Hon. Temitope Adewale expressed worries at the damage of drug abuse to the youthful population.
Speaking at the event which took place at the Local Government event centre at the local government headquarters, yesterday, Adewale said if this is not curbed, the state and indeed the nation may not have sane leaders at the helms of affairs in the nearest future as the menace would have eaten deep into the fabric of the society.
He said the theme; Increasing Wave Of Drug Abuse, A Threat To Nation Building is coming as a result of the flagrant abuse of drugs among our young population and the need to provide a lasting solution that would transform into building a virile nation of healthy and sane society.
He charged the audience to act as watchdogs in ensuring that we speak out when we see something.
Hon. Usman Hamzat, the Chairman of Ifako Ijaiye Local Government who declared the event opened charged all stakeholders to speak out against the drugs vice even as he urged them to come up with infrastructure projects they would want the government to attend to in the coming fiscal year.
He said the event offered an avenue for members of the various constituencies such as market leaders, community leaders, traditional and business communities and youths to meet with their representative in the House of Assembly, to give feedback and propose memoranda for the needs of the people which is aimed to be included in the next budget.
The representative of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mrs Jumoke Olaiya challenged the audience on the effect of drug abuse and ways to curb its spread.
The event also featured a documentary on drug abuse and the rehabilitation process of an addict.
Speaking further at the event, the Oba-elect of Iju Ogundimu, Prince Ogundumu advised all the participants to position themselves as agents in combating drug abuse in their various communities.
Other speakers at the event lent their voices to eradicating the abuse of drugs in our community. In unison, they all summit that, to have a prosperous and strong nation, efforts must be put in place to fight drug abuse, especially among our youths and teenagers.
The highpoint of the event was the presentation of cash to 100 widows in Ifako Ijaiye and another 100 petty traders who were sourced from outside the political group in the constituency.
The beneficiaries were filled with joy and they expressed their gratitude to Hon Adewale for his kind gesture and unrelenting effort in ensuring and delivering dividends of democracy to the people of his constituency.
The event witnessed a huge turnout from the schools in the constituency, uniform organizations and youth bodies, Corps members, NYCN, YNN, NACOMYO, the Police, DSS, NDLEA, Immigration, LNSC, NSCDC, LASCOTA, Ifako Ijaiye NULGE, Market men and women, and other stakeholders.
The dignitaries present were the Chairman of Ifako Ijaiye Local government Prince Usman Akanbi Hamzat, the Vice Chairman Mrs. Oluwatoyin Akerele Awoniyi, the former Chairman of the Council Apostle Oloruntoba Oke, the SA to the Governor on Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Engr Adekunle Olayinka.
Others are; representative of the MHR, Mr. Lukman Adeleye, Iyaloja General of Ifako Ijaiye, Chief Mrs. Doyin Coker, the Oba Elect of Iju Ogundimu Prince Ogundimu, the former House of Assembly member Hon Dayo Saka Fafunmi, The CAN president Ifako Ijaiye chapter, Rev Olubolade, Co-Chair of NIREC Alhaji Oyedeji, Leader of Ifako Ijaiye Legislative Hon Victor Onifade and all the newly sworn-in Councillors.
Also present were former SLG Ifako Ijaiye Local Government, Pastor Ayo Jeje, The CDC chairman Pastor Samuel Opajobi and all the CDC executives, APC party Chairman in Ifako Ijaiye Dcn Banjo Omole, Lagos State Treasurer of NURTW Alhaji Azeez Istijaba, Engr Jacob Dada, Education Secretary Ifako Ijaiye Mr. Olanrewaju Jongbo, former Sole Administrator Ifako Ijaiye Com. Rotimi Adeleye, former Vice Chairman Ifako ijaiye local government, Hon Kayode Aremo, Representative of Tutor General/Permanent Secretary District 1, HoD Education, Ifako Ijaiye, Alhaja Ogungbo-Alimi, Council of Baales, and other leaders and elders in the local government.