Kogiflame
Senator representing Kogi West District, Sunday Karimi, has committed over N2Billion to critical projects across a broad range of sectors, philanthropic imperatives in his first two years in the Senate.
His interventions have spanned security infrastructure, education, healthcare and road appurtenances, across the seven local government areas under his legislative oversight, namely Kotonkarfe; Lokoja; Kabba-Bunu, Ijumu, Mopamuro, Yagba East and Yagba West.
Exchanging views with newsmen in the course of the ongoing parliamentary recess, Karimi observed that his recent appropriation of the sum of N300million for a statewide students’ bursary scheme, has raised his expenditure on the subhead to N400million, over two academic sessions.
The inaugural edition of the scheme in 2024, availed 100 students from across Kogi West of N100,000 support per student. This year, Karimi has extended the goodwill to the other two senatorial zones, Kogi Central and Kogi West, and advanced the sum of N300million.
He said the gesture was in response to the statewide thirst of Kogi youths for education, as well as his own way of supporting the good works of President Bola Tinubu.
Karimi in collaboration with alumni of his alma mater, Titcombe College, Egbe, Yagba West council, is equally supporting a N200million exercise for the improvement of moribund facilities in the institution.
These include the total coverage of the school hectarage with concrete perimeter fencing, construction of boreholes and water reticulation facilities, procurement of diesel-powered generator and general makeover for buildings and structures in the school.
He has singlehandedly built and equipped a 258-capacity hall for the conduct of computer based tests, (CBT), for students in the college.
According to him: “We’ve equipped the facility with laptops, 30kw solar powered panels and inverter, and also installed a 25kva diesel engine generator. Air-conditioning is in place, CCTV cameras have also been put in place.
The facility is complete with its own bathrooms. We are hoping that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, (JAMB), will inspect the effort before the end of August, so that it can be opened for use by the next JAMB exercise.
Senator Karimi who singlehandedly built a N750 Forward Operating Base, (FOB) for the Nigerian military last year, is equally supporting the construction of a police post in Ejuku, Yagba East council.
According to him, “rapid population growth has impacted life in our communities. The police station in Isanlu the council headquarters used to be the only one covering the whole of the local government.
Times have changed. Law and order must be enforced across our communities.” He noted that the FOB is helping to contain the security situation in areas abutting Kogi, Kwara and Niger states. “Who would have one day thought we will get to a point where individuals will undertake the 100 percent construction of military barracks to contain with security challenges?”
The parliamentarian also noted that he is building a community hospital in Kakanda, Lokoja at the cost of N150million, which he has already set aside.
Karimi spent N100million on the empowerment of women and cooperative societies last year and has committed the sum of N23million, to the construction of the Pakuta Bridge in Kiri, Kabba-Bunu LGA, while N11.5m is being expended on rehabilitation of cold rooms for women traders in Lokoja.
The central mosques in Kotonkarfe and Abugi, in Kotonkarfe and Lokoja LGAs which make up that federal constituency, are being rehabilitated for N10million each.
Karimi noted that in collaboration with relevant ministries, departments and agencies of the federal government, he has continued to ensure that he continues to strive to ensure that what should come to his people should not be denied them.
Specifically, Karimi alluded to “zonal interventions” via water supply, transformers, street lights which which are being provided in the communities. Karimi has also been up and doing with donations and support to communities and groups pursuing various programmes.
