ADVERTORIAL
TEXT OF ADDRESS BY PRINCE GBOYEGA NASIR ISIAKA (GNI), MEMBER REPRESENTING YEWA NORTH/IMEKO-AFON FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, AT A MEDIA PARLEY WITH MEMBERS OF THE NIGERIA UNION OF JOURNALISTS (NUJ), OGUN STATE COUNCIL, ON SUNDAY, 23RD JUNE 2025
Distinguished members of the press, ladies and gentlemen,
Let me start by thanking you all for honouring this invitation and for your unwavering commitment to strengthening public accountability through your work. I particularly acknowledge those among you who have chronicled my journey since 2011.
Your presence here today is a strong reminder that public office is a sacred responsibility, and anyone who holds it must be ready to give honest, transparent, and measurable account of their stewardship.
That sense of responsibility is what brings us together today. This session is an opportunity to highlight the substance of our legislative efforts and demonstrate how we have advanced the interests of the people we were elected to serve.
May I remind you that the path that led us here is a function of the dynamic nature of our democracy.
The realities of the 2023 electoral cycle redirected our political trajectory and brought us into the House of Representatives. True leadership transcends political offices, it manifests wherever the people require service.
This transition demanded difficult decisions, yet they were necessary reflections of our commitment to the aspirations and welfare of our constituents.
Prior to assuming office, we embarked on extensive consultations with key stakeholders and community leaders across our constituency.
This engagement culminated in the development of a comprehensive 15-year development masterplan titled “Pushing the Frontiers of Prosperity.” This document is a blueprint anchored in the lived realities and untapped potential of the people we serve.
It has guided every legislative action, policy intervention, and developmental initiative we have undertaken. Structured around five core pillars—agriculture, infrastructure, education, empowerment, and governance—this plan continues to define both the substance and structure of our representation.
Let me now share the measurable progress we have achieved across these pillars.
BILLS AND MOTIONS
At the National Assembly, we have maintained an active, focused, and productive legislative agenda. Our legislative efforts have been strategic, addressing both immediate needs and long-term development objectives of our constituency.
We sponsored a bill for the establishment of an Agro-Processing & Export Free Trade Zone in our Constituency. This bill has successfully passed third reading and is designed to unlock our constituency for agro-industrial investment, value-chain expansion, and regional export competitiveness.
Building on our commitment to human capital development, we also sponsored the bill for the establishment of a Federal Institute of Technical and Vocational Education in Imeko, which has equally passed third reading.
This initiative responds directly to the urgent national need for skilled manpower development and inclusive industrial growth across Nigeria’s rural communities.
To strengthen teacher education and enhance institutional presence in our area, we sponsored the Amendment to the Federal College of Education Act, currently at second reading, to establish Federal College of Education (Technical) in Eggua.
Furthermore, we have sponsored the Scholarship Regulation Bill, currently at second reading, to introduce accountability, merit-based selection, and equitable distribution into scholarship allocation mechanisms across Nigeria’s educational system.
Recognizing the critical security challenges facing our communities, our Nigerian Neighbourhood Watch and Community Service Corps Bill seeks to institutionalize community policing frameworks and address escalating security concerns in rural and border communities.
This legislation has passed first reading and represents our commitment to grassroots security architecture.
We have also amplified the voice of our constituents on the national stage. Most notably, we successfully advocated for the lifting of the eight-year ban on petroleum product sales within 20km of border towns, which is a policy that had systematically crippled our economy.
The partial lifting we achieved has restored economic dignity and renewed commercial vitality across our constituency.
Additionally, we called for the deployment of additional security personnel to the Igbokofi Police Division, demanded investigation of budget envelope exemptions, and appealed for the urgent declaration of a state of emergency on border community development. We also advocated for special palliative consideration for citizens in Nigerian border communities, recognizing the structural inequalities and systemic disadvantages they continue to endure.
As Chairman of the House Committee on National Planning and Economic Development, and formerly Chairman of Student Loans and Scholarships, as well as Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education, I have contributed meaningfully to national policy development and implementation oversight.
In May 2025, we led an advocacy against further increases in the Monetary Policy Rate by the Central Bank of Nigeria, cautioning against policy frameworks that stifle productivity and inflate credit costs for small and medium enterprises. Our role demands that economic policies remain responsive to the lived realities of Nigerian entrepreneurs and working families.
CONSTITUENCY PROJECTS & EMPOWERMENTS
In Imeko, we have constructed a fully equipped Computer-Based Testing Centre at Nazareth High School, accessible to all students in the local government. This facility bridges the digital divide for students across our constituency.
Across Ijale Ketu, Ijaka Oke, Iwoye, and Ayetoro, we have completed comprehensive rehabilitation of classroom blocks, providing dignified and functional learning environments that meet contemporary educational standards.
We facilitated the complete rehabilitation of the 1.58km Mowodani–Sawmill Road, which now provides fully motorable access and has significantly eased movement across adjoining communities.
Solar-powered boreholes now supply clean, potable water to communities including Ibeku, Iboro, Alakuta, Oniji, and Ayetoro, addressing long-standing public health challenges and reducing waterborne disease incidence.
To enhance community safety and enable productive night-time economic activities, over 350 solar-powered streetlights have been strategically installed across the federal constituency. We have also donated transformers to communities in Oja-Odan, Oke-agbede, and Ilara.
In Oja-Odan, we delivered a fully equipped Divisional Police Station, bringing essential security presence to this strategic border location after years of inadequate coverage.
We have also provided electricity transformers to communities in Oja-Odan, Oke-Agbede, and Ilara to support improved power supply and community development.
The health sector has also received focused attention through ongoing and completed renovation works at Primary Health Centres in Agberiodo, Atapele, and Agbon Ojodu.
Additionally, more than 3,000 constituents have benefited from comprehensive medical outreach programmes offering free consultation, treatment, and medication distribution.
Recognizing that infrastructure alone cannot drive development without empowered citizens, we have invested in human capital development across multiple spheres.
We have empowered over 4,000 constituents through carefully designed intervention programmes spanning key sectors. From motorcycles and tricycles to vocational tools, agricultural inputs, and cash grants, we are intentionally equipping our people with the means to build sustainable livelihoods and foster economic self-reliance.
We introduced comprehensive vocational training initiatives in poultry management, tailoring, leather work, and entrepreneurship, focusing on women and youth across Ayetoro, Iwoye, Ilara, and Afon.
Recognizing the importance of digital literacy in today’s world, we also conducted ICT training for our constituents and provided about 100 laptops to support the development of relevant digital skills and open up new opportunities in the knowledge economy.
As part of our education intervention efforts, we engaged 20 support teachers to strengthen the teaching of Mathematics and English in public schools across the constituency. These teachers are currently on monthly salaries fully funded from our personal resources, reflecting our commitment to quality education.
We recently commenced the first phase of distributing 1,000 school bags to pupils across the federal constituency as part of our efforts to support and enhance their learning experience.
Beyond this, we facilitated federal government scholarship awards for 15 deserving students from various parts of the constituency, ensuring that academic excellence is recognized and supported.
We have also facilitated no fewer than 15 employment opportunities for our people across federal agencies, including the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Centre for Management Development (CMD), the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation, and the Federal College of Education, Osiele.
These opportunities reflect our ongoing commitment to expanding access to gainful employment for our constituents.
Understanding the vital role of private sector participation in driving development, we have facilitated the involvement of private investors in rice and cotton cultivation and processing within the Federal Constituency.
Notably, we brokered a partnership between the Ogun State Ministry of Agriculture and the Lee Group, leading to the launch of a comprehensive pilot scheme covering 50 hectares for rice cultivation in Eggua.
Plans are also in place for the commencement of cotton farming in Iwoye-Ketu during the second half of the year, further expanding the constituency’s agricultural footprint.
This initiative will fundamentally reshape the economic architecture of our federal constituency, creating thousands of direct and indirect jobs, attracting significant foreign and domestic investment, and contributing measurably to national food security objectives.
It is important to note that all the projects referenced above are captured in the 2024 federal budget. This does not include initiatives already proposed in the 2025 budget, including the fund allocation for a feasibility and technical viability study towards the establishment of an Agro-Processing Free Trade Zone within our Federal Constituency.
MACRO-ECONOMIC CONTEXT
All these achievements have taken place within a socio-economic environment that, while not without its challenges, has shown steady signs of improvement.
This positive trajectory is driven by the bold leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose Renewed Hope Agenda has created the enabling policy framework for meaningful reforms across the nation.
Since assuming office, Mr. President has pursued a reform-driven economic agenda anchored on difficult yet necessary decisions.
From the removal of fuel subsidy to the unification of foreign exchange rates, these measures have begun to yield measurable outcomes.
Foreign exchange reserves have risen from $32.9 billion at the end of 2023 to over $38.448 billion USDAs of today, June, 2025, while the federal fiscal deficit has narrowed significantly, signaling stronger financial discipline and improved economic management.
Also, our exchange rate policy has yielded a stable and predictable exchange rate that enhances planning and encourages greater direct investment flows into the economy. While inflation, which had previously risen to alarming levels, is now beginning to trend downward.
The recently passed Tax Reform Bill represents a major step forward, optimizing revenue collection, reducing leakages, and enabling more sustainable investments in infrastructure and social services.
The economy is gradually gaining resilience. Growth projections remain steady, with GDP expected to expand by an average of 3.5% through 2026.
Monetary tightening by the Central Bank is beginning to rein in inflation, creating the fiscal space for a more balanced and productive economy.
Indeed, where would we have been without these bold decisions? Instead of taking the easy path that offers short-term gain but long-term pain, the President has chosen a courageous and necessary leap and we commend him for that.
His leadership has inspired growing confidence that Nigeria is turning a corner.
Though there are still challenges, there is a sense of cautious optimism in the air.
The reforms, while demanding, are laying the groundwork for long-term stability and shared prosperity. As a constituency, we align with this vision, believing that the sacrifices of today will secure a better future for Nigerians, sooner or later.
I acknowledge with deep appreciation the exemplary leadership of Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, PhD, Speaker of the House of Representatives, whose vision for a productive and people-centered House has created an enabling environment for meaningful legislative work. His commitment to democratic governance and institutional excellence continues to inspire our collective efforts.
I equally appreciate His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun, CON, Governor of Ogun State, whose partnership approach to development has facilitated many of the projects we have implemented across our constituency. His administration’s commitment to rural development and agricultural transformation has created the necessary enabling environment for our federal initiatives to come to fruition.
Across Ayetoro, Ilara, Imeko, Ijaka Oke, Oja Odan, and every corner of our constituency, the evidence of systematic progress remains visible and measurable.
These achievements represent the products of strategic planning, consistent community engagement, and deliberate leadership anchored in accountability.
We are methodically laying the foundation for a constituency where governance produces tangible outcomes, where human dignity is restored through economic opportunity, and where representation carries substantive meaning rather than ceremonial significance. This constitutes our interpretation of the mandate entrusted to us in 2023.
We are only at the midpoint of this mandate, yet the foundation we have established remains solid and expandable.
Our governing philosophy represents far more than political rhetoric, it embodies the standard by which we measure every action, every decision, and every outcome.
The journey ahead demands greater vision, deeper commitment, and more strategic partnerships. We shall continue building bridges between federal opportunities and local needs, between national policies and community realities, between legislative possibilities and constituent aspirations.
To the distinguished members of the press, I commend your indispensable role as custodians of public truth and democratic conscience. I urge your continued commitment to spotlighting stories that matter, interrogating leadership with analytical clarity, and amplifying the voices of communities that require national attention.
Our democracy thrives when representation produces results, when leadership translates into improved living conditions, and when public office serves as a vehicle for collective advancement rather than personal aggrandizement.
Thank you for your time, your professional engagement, and your partnership in democratic accountability.
May God continue to bless Yewa North/Imeko-Afon Federal Constituency, Ogun State, and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka – GNI
Member, House of Representatives
Yewa North/Imeko-Afon Federal Constituency
Chairman, House Committee on National Planning and Economic Development
