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Lawmaker representing Oyo South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has said that the 2024 budget will benefit Nigerians.
A statement made available to newsmen in Ibadan on Friday by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Akeem Abas, said Alli stated this while featuring on Success 105.3FM programme, ‘The Platform,’ anchored by Akeem Kareem, on Thursday.
The lawmaker urged Nigerians to continue supporting President Bola Tinubu’s administration, adding that the president is leaving no stone unturned to return Nigeria to economic prosperity.
Alli, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee Chairman on Electoral Matters, said: “The 2024 budget is different from 2023 budget. We’ve been running a deficit budget for several years. The reality today is that the percentage of deficit is less than what it used to be.
“Today, we have more money to conserve as a result of improvement in revenue generation. President Tinubu is doing very well. May God bless him and give him good health.
“We are going to get there. It may not be really visible, but there have been lots of improvement. You can also see that those taking billions are not been spared,” he said.
On the distribution of cash to the vulnerable, the Senator said it was not the best, but better than not doing anything at all.
He acknowledged the hardship Nigerians are currently going through, which he said would soon be over.
“I am a Nigerian and I know things are very hard today. This hardship is temporary and will soon be over. It is just like pouring iodine on a sour, at first it will be painful and later dry off.
“Giving cash is not the best, but a stop gap. It is better to give it than not doing anything at all,” he said.
The lawmaker described as untrue the reports that the lawmakers have collected bags of rice or millions of naira, saying there was nothing of such.
He noted that it was a statement made by the president in October, stressing that the lawmakers have not received any of such till they went on recess on December 31, 2023.
“There is no one among the three Senators from Oyo State who did not distribute more than two trucks of rice during the festive period. These were purchased individually by the three Senators.
“We have not receive any rice from government. We will continue to serve our people diligently as promised during the campaign,” he said.
Responding to speculations that he is executing several projects in his senatorial district because he is eyeing the governorship seat in 2027, Alli said that he was elected as a Senator.
He said that he was being guided by his electioneering campaign promises to the people, promising to do more for his constituents.
“I promised to sink 100 boreholes in the 99 wards that make up Oyo South. Today we have done more than 40 and hoping to finish by July this year.
“It is not about being governor. I was elected as a Senator. I am contented with being a Senator today. Where I will be in 2027 is in the hand of God,” he said.
In the area of legislative functions, Alli said he had since assumption of office been involved in several oversight functions.
The lawmaker said that no fewer than 1000 youths have benefitted from his e-commerce and agribusiness trainings, adding that 3,000 widows as well as 3,000 traders have benefitted from a N70 million worth of food bank.
Alli said that he had facilitated ICT centres, install no fewer than 200 solar lights, donate inverters/boreholes to the police, pay WAEC fees of 54 students, constructed public toilet, and assisted individuals and associations financially.
He said the 10th National Assembly under the leadership of Senator Godswill Akpabio is determined to make laws that would benefit Nigeria and Nigerians.
“I have been involved in some bills and motions, prominent among which was the one I moved for a befitting burial/Immortalisation of Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi, designer of the national flag.
“I have a private bill on pensioners issues. What we have on ground today is not in consonance with realities. I already proposed some amendments in the bill.
“I am also much involved in the proposal for the establishment of Federal Medical Centre in Ibarapa. This was the initial proposal of Dr Ajibola Muraina, the former representative of Ibarapa Central/North federal constituency,” he said.
The lawmaker added that he is working with the incumbent representative of the federal constituency, Dr Anthony Adepoju, towards actualising the proposal at the National Assembly.
He said that he was also involved in the successes recorded in some oversight functions carried out by committees in the National Assembly, particularly the judiciary committee.