The Honourable Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, CON, has expressed deep regret over the demise of a former Kwara South Senatorial District Senator, Dr. Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim, whose transition, following a brief illness, was announced in a family statement on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.
In a condolence message to the Kwara State Government, the people of Kwara South Senatorial District, and the Ojoku Community in Oyun Local Government Area, Sen. Sabi Abdullahi said he was saddened by news of the death of an illustrious son of Kwara and former colleague with whom he had a healthy and productive working relationship.
He recalled that he and the late Sen. Rafiu Ibrahim were freshmen Senators in the Eighth National Assembly from 2015 to 2019, during which period Sen. Rafiu served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance, and Other Financial Institutions and was a member of the Media and Public Affairs Committee under the chairmanship of Sen. Sabi Abdullahi.
The Minister of State described the late Sen. Rafiu as a friend, brother, confidant, and reliable sounding board with whom he shared common views on the welfare of citizens and the progress of the nation. The deceased, he said, was an embodiment of passion, selflessness, and hard work. He noted that the late Sen. Rafiu was a truly distinguished gentleman whose persona radiated confidence and a ready willingness to cooperate in achieving the common good.
Sen. Sabi Abdullahi also recalled with fondness that the late Sen. Rafiu joined him in solidarity at the launch of a constituency project in his (Sabi’s) Niger North Senatorial District and that the late Sen. Rafiu willingly stood in for the Senate President on the occasion, when the Chairman of the National Assembly could not arrive early enough owing to weather constraints.
The Honourable Minister of State prayed Almighty Allah to forgive the shortcomings of the late Sen. Rafiu and to grant his soul aljannah firdaus. He equally urged members of the family of the deceased to be consoled by the remarkable accomplishments of the late Senator, who has passed away at the age of 57.
In a related development, Sen. Sabi Abdullahi expressed condolences to his erstwhile colleague in the Ninth Senate, Sen. Sadiq Suleiman Umar, who lost his father, Alhaji Suleiman Mora Omar, the Makama of Kaiama Emirate in Kwara State. According to Sen. Sabi Abdullahi, his common Borgu lineage with Sen. Sadiq means that the transition of the Makama is a loss to the larger Borgu Clan.
While praying for the repose of the soul of the late Alhaji Suleiman, the Minister of State noted that the legacies of exemplary service of the late Makama as an administrator and traditional ruler should be sources of comfort to the family.
Niger State House of Assembly (NGHA) has urged the executive arm of government to reticulate Tafa Local Government and its environs to supply it with pipe-borne water.
This was contained in a motion presented before the plenary by a member representing Tafa Constituency, Hon. Muhammad Sani Idris, and seconded by Hon. Yakubu Abdulmalik Bala Yakubu, representing Katcha Constituency.
Hon. Idris said that Tafa Local Government, having a major tributary of Suleja Water Works, deserved to be reticulated and supplied with pipe-borne water.
He said that most villages gave up their land for the construction of the River Iku Impresite Dam in the LGA.
Some of the towns, the legislator argued, should be reticulated with pipe-borne water to reduce health challenges from taking bad water, include Yaguru, Kufa, Gauraka, and Maje, amongst others.
Another motion passed was presented by Hon. Yahaya Abubakar Ahmadu (Gbako Constituency), calling on the executive arm to empower small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) to provide more employment opportunities to citizens of the state. It was seconded by Hon. Abdulmalik Bala Yakubu (Katcha).
He said that it will go a long way to engage the youths, take them off the street, and provide them with means of livelihood.
Also, Hon. Zubairu Ismail (Rafi Constituency) presented a motion of public importance, calling on the executive arm to provide compensation to the people of Kwana Mariga and Mariga Town as a result of a rainstorm.
The motion, which was seconded by Hon. Abdullahi Isah (Kontagora II), said that the rainstorm destroyed houses and property, resulting in fatal injuries to three people who are receiving treatment and one life being lost.
