By Oyeniyi Iwakun
Hon (Mrs) Janet Adeyemi, the President of Women in Minning (WiM), Nigeria and former lawmaker representing Ile-Oluji/federal at the House of Representatives between 1999-2003 has explained how she crafted a private member bill and mobilized stakeholders to achieve the creation of Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC).
The former lawmaker while fielding questions from MMS Plus on Friday 25th August, 2017 in Lagos explained that she knew Ondo State would be receiving a lot of funds from the Federal Government as a result of the newly passed Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) bill. Therefore, she quickly took a proactive measure by crafting the OSOPADEC bill (as private member) for effective management which eventually led to the creation of OSOPADEC.
“The moment we passed that bill, I quickly went to Ondo state again, because I knew excessive funding would be coming to the state. I did a private member bill, mobilized Edema Adebanjo, Arije and all others to meet the governor of Ondo state and alert him on the need to create an equivalent Commission.
“It was this private member bill that I gave to Ademola Adegoroye and told him that we needed to pass the bill and that was what led to the creation of Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) we have today, making Ondo state the first Niger Delta state that utilized their Thirteen Percent (13%) derivation through a commission before other states started emulating.” She said
Hon. Janet who lamented the negligence and laziness among Nigerian lawmakers also expressed her disappointment at the level of developmental setback in the Niger Delta communities in Ondo state.
According to her, the community at this moment is expected to have been transformed and the suffering of the people alleviated.
“in those days, legislators were hardworking. The kind of turnaround I would have expected in Ondo state is not what we are getting today because I don’t think access to drinkable water should still be a problem among the people.
“The roads by now should have been better than what it is. I also thought of seeing a robust seaport development which is not necessarily within the purview of NDDC but I thought NDDC would be able to partner through Public Private Partnership (PPP) or whatever policy to transform that place to a very good one.
“When you look at Ayetoro axis, you will agree with me that there is a major problem; although I have not been there for a while but by now I am sure if the needful is being done, we would have heard of it because I know Igbokoda of Twenty (20) years ago.
While identifying corruption and greed as the major challenges confronting the Nigerian state, Hon. Janet opined that the anti-corruption crusade of President Buhari will go a long way in curbing the menace (corruption).
“If you do an estimate on the number of beautiful houses that have sprang up in Igbokoda and now do a critical cost benefit analysis. Look at the infrastructure of the environment, hospitals, water supply, roads, electricity, look at all those social amenities and merge it against the cost of the private infrastructures that has sprang up and then do your conclusion, then you will realize what I am talking about.
“If any of them fall sick in any of those beautiful houses, where would they rush them to? With asthma are they likely going to make it before they get to the nearest hospital? Those are the gaps. We develop our individual selves at the expense of government, whereas, the common social facilities should be the centre of focus to any individual or persons.
“With the corruption this government is fighting, I think it would be a lesson for others because if you fight it now, somebody else is coming to continue from where you stopped. Even if you accumulate wealth illegally, you should be ready to vomit it in the future. I believe that over time, some of these things would be organized and we will start seeing the results. At least the institutions are in place.” she said
Copyright MMS Plus.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from KINGS COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED
