Lagos – Dr Femi Gbajabiamila, lawmaker representing Surulere 1 constituency in the House of Representatives, has urged Nigerians to appreciate what President Muhammadu Buhari is doing to recover funds stolen under past administrations.

Gbajabiamila made the statement at the 2016 Grassroots Empowerment Programme tagged: “Changing lives through grassroot support’’ held at Abati Barracks, Lagos.

Gbajabiamila said: “as a leader of government business in the House, you have good understanding of our economic situation.

“As much as many people in the opposition do not want us to talk about the mismanagement of the past, there is a past before the present, so reference must be made to this.

Femi-Gbajabiamila

“Our country’s economy was destroyed due to failure of leadership.

“Nigerians need to know the depth of the rot we inherited to appreciate what the APC government is doing to recover stolen funds and put the country on a path of recovery.

“Even though the identified stolen funds and assets cannot be spent by government until all court cases are dispensed, the APC is continuing to work hard to stimulate the economy.”

The APC Majority Leader in the House of Representatives, said that the House was working with the Executive to ensure that these saboteurs did not hijack the anti corruption war of the president.

He said that Nigerians laboured hard to put the Buhari government in place and would not settle for excuses.

He said that the administration would look into the means of funding projects in the 2016 budget such as the virement and borrowing plan of the government before the National Assembly.

Gbajabiamila said that borrowing to finance infrastructural projects was not an irresponsible act, adding that Lagos State did same and the concomitant development was obvious.
He assured that the House of Representatives would respond to the President’s request in the interest of Nigerians.

He added that the House would set the process in motion for its committees to carry out appropriate oversight functions on all project executing agencies until the 2016 was fully implemented according to law.

He said: “Our interest in attracting Federal presence to our constituencies is same as Mr President’s resolve to keep his campaign promises.

“Nigerians should be assured that both arms of government will work harmoniously to bring the country out of economic recession.’’
The lawmaker described the empowerment programme as `remarkable,’ adding that it had affored some residents of Surulere the opportunity to confront the economic recession with the aid of the support equipment and proper planning.

In a good will message he delivered at the ocassion, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, APC Lagos Central Senatorial leader, urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the equipment and urged them not sell the equipment.

“You have to be true to yourself and refrain from selling what you have been given.

“You should know that to become rich in life one does not need to start big, you start small to make it big in Life,” Olusi said.
The lawmaker empowered the people of his constituency with 84 grinding machines, 186 sewing machines, 100 industrial machines and 25 complete set of hairdressing machine.

They also received 30 generators, 36 Deep Freezers, 10 vulcanizer machine, 10 Tricycles, 10 Motorcycles, 3 Block Making Machines.(NAN)