The lawmaker representing the Ado-Odo/Ota federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Engr. Tunji Akinosi, has announced that N700 million has been earmarked for fixing dilapidated schools across the area.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting in Ota, Akinosi said the money is a significant part of the N1 billion zonal intervention fund that became available after President Bola Tinubu approved the increase last December.
According to him, the rise in funding—from N200 million to N1 billion—has made it possible to tackle many pressing issues affecting the constituency, with education being at the forefront.
“Though our job is to make law, we have what is called capital project inclusion, which is supposed to be our zonal intervention fund, which before now was N200m,” Akinosi said.
He noted that despite some efforts by both federal and state governments, the constituency still lags behind in infrastructure and educational development. He blamed this on the large size of Ado-Odo/Ota, which, according to him, is bigger than three other constituencies combined, yet receives the same amount of government allocation as smaller ones.
Akinosi added that improving access to quality education through renovation of primary and secondary schools is critical to building a better future for the youth in the area. “From the N1bn we are being given, we have put N700m down for reconstruction and rehabilitation of our schools because expanding access to qualitative education to build a virile future for our youth is top on our minds,” he said.
Aside from education, the lawmaker shared that he has introduced four bills in the House, including one to establish a Federal Medical Centre in Atan-Ota, which aims to address the lack of adequate health care in the constituency.
He also listed recent achievements, including road construction, financial grants to over 2,000 residents ranging from N50,000 to N100,000, and the distribution of tools to support local traders and artisans.
During the stakeholder engagement session, community leaders and residents echoed their concerns over the region’s poor infrastructure. They urged both state and federal governments to consider granting Ado-Odo/Ota special status, citing its large population and its role as a major source of revenue for Ogun State.
Barrister Kelubia Ajose, Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association in Ota, said, “The federal constituency has little to show in terms of socio-economic development despite generating the highest revenue for the Ogun state government,” adding that political leaders must prioritize real development.
Dr. Tokunbo Salako, a psychologist and former student union leader, described the constituency as “the hen laying the golden eggs,” saying it deserves more government attention to improve living conditions.
Oba Abdulkadir Obalanlege, the Olota of Otta, also praised Akinosi for following through on his campaign promises and urged other elected officials to focus on service and accountability.
The meeting, themed “Expectations From Our Representatives,” served as a platform for open dialogue between the people and their representative, as well as a reminder of the urgent need to address infrastructural gaps in one of the most commercially vibrant parts of Ogun State.
