Two Years Of Senator Kola Balogun’s Activities At The Senate
It has been two years since Dr Mohammed Kola Balogun took up the mantle of leadership to represent the people of the Oyo South Senatorial District in the upper chamber of the National Assembly.
He was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), having defeated the candidates of other political parties, including the immediate former governor of Oyo State, the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi, in the 2019 senatorial election.
Two years on, Senator Kola Balogun, in this report, gives an account of his activities as an elected member of the, legislature, the second leg of the tripod holding together the essence of democracy. The account is further broken down into two parts:
Part One: Legislative Achievements
Legislative duties (including Bills sponsored and co-sponsored by him, motions sponsored and co-sponsored with other colleagues, attendance at plenary and at different committees of the Senate and over site functions,
Monitoring and making sure that the projects allocated to Oyo South Senatorial District in the budget are executed.
Also listed are his personal efforts all aimed at ensuring that he brings the dividends of democracy to the doorsteps of his constituents.
Legislative Duties/Bills
The Bills sponsored by him within the period are five and a memorandum, including:
A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Health Act, 2014, To Regulate Medical Treatment Abroad and for other Matters Connected Therewith, 2020;
A Bill For An Act To Alter The Provisions Of The Constitution Of The Federal Republic Of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), To Make Provisions For A Periodic Conduct Of National Population And Housing Census In Nigeria;
A Bill For An Act To Develop A Decentralised System Of Vigilantism Peculiar To Every Local Community In Nigeria, Facilitate Community Policing, Neighbourhood Watch, Local Intelligence Gathering And For Other Related Matters;
A Bill for an Act to amend the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act;
Memorandum for the creation of Ibadan State was submitted to the Constitutional Amendment Committee.
Within the same period, Senator Balogun co-sponsored and spoke in support of five other Bills:
National Primary Health Care Development Agency Act Amendment Bill;
South West Economic Development Commission Bill;
Bill for Act for The Establishment of Federal University of Technology Yaba, moved by Senator Olamilekan Adeola Solomon of Lagos West;
Bill for an Act to Establish a Commission for Electoral Offences;
He supported the Bill for The Establishment of North Central Development Commission, sponsored by Senator Abba Moro.
Senator Balogun has raised motions on:
Urgent need to upgrade the status of the Ibadan Airport from a local to an international airport;
Need to immortalise, a former Attorney General and Minister of Justice in the Second Republic, the late Chief Richard Akinjide SAN, in recognition of his contribution towards national development;
He submitted a petition was submitted at the floor of the Senate against the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for the recent invasion of the Bodija and Oritamerin markets, both in Ibadan.
Motions supported:
A fecund mind, Senator Kola Balogun supported motion for the revitalisation of the textile industry in Nigeria;
With no political undertones, he spoke in support of the appointment of Honourable Sunday Dare, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as a federal minister;
He contributed during the 2020 appropriation debate wherein he spoke on the need to increase budgetary spending on education, healthcare, power, road and rail infrastructure and agriculture.
In carrying out his oversight functions, Senator Balogun has attended various oversights of the following Senate committees to which he belongs:
Anti Corruption and Financial Crimes; Army; Culture and Tourism; Youth and Sports Development; Education (Primary and Secondary); Power; Public Procurement; Water Resources; Science and Technology.
He was always punctual at the various Senate committees meetings where he makes meaningful contributions.
Part Two: Constituency Projects And Empowerment Programmes
Facilitation of N60m revolving loan scheme for nine (9) cooperative societies in Ibadan in Feb 2020;
Facilitation of N50m worth capacity development programme for 45 youths and women selected from the nine local governments in his senatorial district in the art of film making and business in collaboration with the Nigerian Film Corporation;
Facilitation of 50m capacity/empowerment programme on agricultural entrepreneurship for 100 youths and farmers in the nine (9) local government areas of the district, held at the IAR&T, Moor Plantation in January, 2021;
Facilitation of over 350m COVID-19 loan to over 450 different members of trade groups, big markets, members of the press, Ohaneze Ndigbo, traders and people in the district between June – August 2020;
Facilitation of the payment of FG 30,000 survival funds to 434 tradesmen and artisans in Oyo South District, June 2020;
Facilitation of the payment of N20,000 each as palliative grant of the Federal Government to 100 women in the district in February 2021 at the state Secretariat;
Facilitation of payment of 20,000 as grant to empower 1000 women and youths in the Oyo South through the Ministry of Youths and Sports;
Facilitation of N14m as grant to market men and women in Oyo South District paid via Nigerian Prisons Micro-Finance Bank in February 2021 through SMEDAN;
Facilitation of N11 million revolving loan scheme for fresh eight (8) cooperative societies in Ibadan and Ibarapa in April 2021;
30 solar-powered street lights provided in Oke-Aremo, Agala, the University of Ibadan; all in Ibadan North Local Government Area;
Provision of solar powered Boreholes with overhead water storage tanks for NECO Office, Agodi, Ibadan North Local Government Area;
Completion of block of two classrooms with toilets, office, store and solar-powered light and other facilities at Oje-Igosun Grammar School, Ibadan North Local Government Area. Already handed over to UBEC and eventually SUBEB;
Provision and installation of 300kva electric transformer and accessories at Ashi Community in Ibadan North Local Government Area (protected with fence and gate);
Provision and installation of 300kva electric transformer and accessories at Fagbamila Community in Ibadan North East Local Government Area (fenced with gate);
Provision and installation of 500kva transformer and accessories at Padre Oke-Ofa, Ibadan North-East Local Government Area. Fully energised;
Provision and installation of 500kva electric transformer and accessories at Oke-Ofa, Babasale area, Ibadan North-East Local Government Area;
Provision and installation of 300kva electric transformer and accessories at Ogungbade area of Molete in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area. (fenced with gate);
Provision and installation of 500kva electric transformer at Salvation Army area, Ibadan North-West Local Government Area;
Provision and installation of 500kva transformer and accessories at Falola Street, Osoba Area, Ibadan South-West Local Government Area;
Provision and installation of 300kva transformer at Arise area of Iddo Local Government Area;
Provision and installation of 300kva electric transformer and accessories at Riverview State, Idi-Ishin, Ibadan South-West Local Government Area;
Provision and installation of 300kva transformer and accessories at Alatere Community of Iddo Local Government Area;
Construction and completion of one block of three classrooms at Community Primary School, Itabo, Lanlate in Ibarapa East Local Government Area;
Construction and completion of one block of two classrooms at Oke-Oba, Eruwa, Local Authority Pry School, Ibarapa East Local Government Area;
Construction and completion of one block of three classrooms at Okusehinde Primary School, Aremo Ibadan, North East Local Government Area;
Rehabilitation of 1km road at the BCJ to Railway line in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area;
Rehabilitation of 1km road from Rail line to Gbekuba in Iddo Local Government Area!
Rehabilitation of the Oke-Oba Road to the expressway at Eruwa, Ibarapa East Local Government Area;
Construction of bridge and rehabilitation of Odo-Eran Road at Ibarapa Central Local Government Area;
Sinking of solar-powered Borehole at Yanko-bi-Ororo in Ward 10, Lanlate in Ibarapa East Local Government Area;
Provision of study materials to three community primary schools viz:
(a) Community Primary School, Olomo, Iddo Local Government Area; (b) Community Primary School, Oke-Ayo, Odo-Ona, Ibadan South-West; (c) LA Primary School 1, Oke-Oba Eruwa, Ibarapa East Local Government Area;
Provision of materials:
Plastic chairs and tables – 30 sets per school;
Mathematical kits -three set per school;
Hardcover Quarto notebooks -five set per school;
Hardcover Ledger Notebook -five copies per school;
80 leaves exercises books – 551 copies per school!
40 leaves exercises books- 550 copies per school;
20 leaves exercises books- 550 copies per school!
60 leaves exercises books- 550 copies per school;
The Spelling Champions -61 copies per school;
The Heritage- 55 copies per school;
Phonics Right Path-65 copies per school;
Marvelous Pry 1 Maths Textbook -100 copies per school;
Marvelous Pry 2 Maths Textbook -100 per school;
Marvelous Pry 3 Maths Textbook -100 copies per school;
Marvelous Pry 1 English Textbook -100 copies per school;
Marvelous Pry 2 English Textbook -100 copies per school;
Marvelous Pry 3 English Textbook -100 copies per school.
•Source: MKB Administrative Office (June 2021)
