By RALPH OMOLOLU AGBANA
United States based businessman and medic, Olamilekan Olayinka Olaosebikan, alias “03”, has thrown his hat in the ring for the race to the House of Representatives for Offa/Oyun/Ifelodun Federal Constituency in Kwara State.
The Oro-Ago, Ifelodun Local Government, Kwara State-born nurse, importer and exporter of products and services, in a statement by the “03” Media Team issued to journalists on Friday, said he decided to offer himself for service to his people “with integrity and absolute loyalty”.
He went further to unfold a detailed manifesto containing his vision and mission towards a better representation in the Green Chamber of the National Assembly thereby guaranteeing improved wellbeing of the people of Offa/Oyun/Ifelodun Federal Constituency, through multisectoral action.
In the statement, Olaosebikan who is contesting the 2023 federal election on the platform of Young Progressives Party (YPP), declared: “The manifesto items of O3 are based mainly on the principles and philosophy of the youth who formed the bulk of the electorate that have witnessed decades of neglect from successive representatives. The youth and the women, as a result of their experiences, have therefore unconsciously developed principles and comprehensive system of belief on how to be represented and feel the impact of governance. These principles and philosophy-like disposition of the good people of Offa, Oyun and Ifelodun of Kwara State have been thoroughly understudied by me and my team, and therefore formed the basis upon which my manifestoes were developed”.
Olaosebikan also listed the main trust of his vision and mission for the good people he intend to represent, as follows:
HEALTH
Health services will form major aspect of my trust. Health is one of the most important aspects of social services that the people of my constituency require to function very well. It saddens that the less privileged spend fortunes to access what suppose to be a social service of basic healthcare. Many at times the standard and quality of basic health facility around the three local governments do not commensurate with demographical spread of the people of Offa, Oyun and Ifelodun Federal Constituency. As part of my oversight function as legislator, l will passionately ensure the functionality of existing health care centre, upgrade the existing ones while sustainable collaboration with private health facilities at affordably subsidised rate base will be encouraged.
EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY
You will agree with me that Education remains the only instrument that has given the less privileged of the country a sense of hope. You will also support my assumption that technology in teaching, research and learning has impacted positively on the quality of education around the world including Nigeria. O3 will make education a priority in legislative matters which the resultant effect will lead to the provision of teaching aids and renovation of blocks of classrooms in selected schools depending on the need assessment priority thereby providing a conducive environment for teaching and learning. Teachers will be trained and retrained for capacity enhancement especially in modern teaching methodology.
AGRICULTURE
I am aware that agriculture is the preoccupation of the people of my constituency. I am also aware that today it is a major player in the economy of Nigeria. In fact agriculture is our tradition and it is our culture. Therefore outside the motivational support that will be given to the rural farmers, agricultural policies that will enhance farmers will be a top priority on my legislative agenda. Farmers will be assisted in different ways through collaborations with international agricultural companies. The marketing company under the control of the farmers will be established to find direct, local and international markets for the farm products of our farmers while soft loans will also be made available at lower repayment rate. This will improve their financial gains as well as motivate them. I will initiate a legislative law that will mandate government both at federal and state to provide tractors and other farm essentials for free to our farmers. This will aid agricultural development in our constituency. Equally, training support shall be given to the farmers to reduce post harvest losses.
INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT
I will activate my personal network of relationships within and outside of government circles, including my friends and associates, to primarily assist in infrastructure development, to establish farm settlement and other farm produce, industries to improve the economic base of our communities.
SECURITY
Security is a national issue of concern today. I understand that productivity and prosperity of any given community of the entire nation cannot be divorced from an impervious security architecture. To this end l will through legislative agenda influence more security provisions for my constituency, and also establish a Communities Network against Crime and Criminality (CNcc) to protect life and property”.
“These are my personal conviction and they form my ambition to the great people of my constituency. I offer to serve with integrity and absolute loyalty to our great party. I am 03”, he said.