ACHIEVEMENTS OF DISTINGUISHED SENATOR GBEMISOLA

RUQAYYAH SARAKI (KWARA CENTRAL).

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ACHIEVEMENTS

COMMITTEES
The Distinguished Senator Gbemisola R. Saraki represents Kwara Central
Senatorial District. This is her second term in the Senate of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria after a single term spell at the House of Representatives.
The Distinguished Senator Gbemi Saraki is the Chairman of the Senate
Standing Committee on Marine Transport and member of the Committees on
Aviation, Commerce, Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs,
Police Affairs and Rules & Business of the Senate.

BILLS AND MOTIONS SPONSORED OR CO-SPONSORED

Since returning to the Senate in June 2007, the Distinguished Senator Gbemi
Saraki has sponsored and/or co-sponsored 8 legislative Bills, all at various
stages of legislative action. These include the Skills Acquisition and
Development Trust Fund Bill, 2007; Police Tax Fund Bill, 2007; Existing
Vacancies (Publication) Bill, 2008; Nigerian Coast Guard Bill, 2008; National
Transport Commission Bill, 2008; Anti-Terrorism Bill, 2008; Mortgage
Regulatory Bill, 2009; AND Labher Act (Amendment) Bill, 2009.

1. The Skills Acquisition and Development Trust Fund Bill, 2007 (SB.01)
This Bill was sponsored single-handedly by the Distinguished Senator Gbemi
Saraki. It was the first legislative bill to be submitted to the Senate for
consideration after the inauguration of the Senate in 2007. This accounts for
the serial numbering of the Bill being SB.01. The Bill seeks to establish a
Trust Fund whose function as spelt out in Section 5 of the Bill includes to
“manage and disburse Funds for the acquisition, development, upgrading and
promotion of skills and expertise of persons who are either unemployed or are
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preparing to join the workforce, for poverty alleviation as well as employment
generation by arranging training programs for qualified persons in appropriate
institutions.” The Bill passed First Reading on the 17th July, 2007. On the 26th
September, 2007 debate on the general principles of the Bill was taken and it
was subsequently referred to the Commitees on Establishment and Public
Service, Labour and Education.

2. The Police Tax Fund Bill, 2007 (serially numbered SB.17)

The Bill is being sponsored single-handedly by the Distinguished Senator
Gbemi Saraki.
It seeks, amongst other things, to impose a 2 per cent tax on the “assessable”
profit of every company registered in Nigeria. According to Section 7 of the
Bill, the tax imposed shall be administered and disbursed to “develop,
maintain and provide facilities and equipment for the Nigerian Police Force.”
It passed the first reading on the 8th November, 2007 while debate on the
general principles was taken on the 21st May, 2008. The Bill was
subsequently referred to the Committee on Police Affairs.

3. The Existing Vacancies (Publication) Bill, 2008 (serially numbered

SB.106)
The Bill is being sponsored single-handedly by the Distinguished Senator
Gbemi Saraki. It seeks, amongst other things, to impose a duty on the heads
of all Federal ministries, parastatals, corporations, departments, commissions,
agencies, institutions or any government establishment to “post in three
conspicuous places of their offices for a period of one month a complete list of
all existing vacant positions in their respective offices which are to be filled”
and “to transmit a copy of such list and the corresponding qualification
standards to the Federal Civil Service Commission not later than the tenth day
of every month.” (Section 2 of the Bill).
It passed the First Reading on the 7th October, 2008.

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4. The Nigerian Coast Guard Bill, 2008 (serially numbered SB.107)
The sole sponsor of this Bill is Distinguished Senator Gbemi Saraki. The Bill
seeks amongst other things to establish a Coast Guard for the Federal
Republic of Nigeria to be charged with the protection of the national interest in
the maritime zone of Nigeria. These ranges from enforcement of all maritime
laws relevant to Nigeria to patrolling and policing the coastal areas and
maritime zone of Nigeria to prevent smuggling, illegal trafficking, illegal
bunkering, etc. The Nigeria Coast Guard is also to assist the Nigerian Navy in
times of war. It passed the First Reading on the 6th November, 2008. The Bill
is currently being packaged for debate on general principles and second
reading.

5. The National Transport Commission Bill, 2008 (serially numbered

SB.111) The Bill is co-sponsored by Distinguished Senator Gbemi Saraki and
8 other Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This Bill seeks to repeal
the Nigerian Shippers’ Council Act cap. N133 LFN 2004 and provide for the
establishment of the National Transport Commission as an independent
regulator for the transport sector. The Bill in Section 5 provides for the
functions of the National Transport Commission to include “(a) create an
economic regulatory framework in respect of the provision of transport
services and facilities which promotes and safeguards competition, fair and
effective market conduct or in the absence of a competitive market, which
prevents the misuse of monopoly or market power;” It passed the First
Reading on the 28th May, 2008. The Bill is currently being packaged for
debate on general principles and second reading.

6. The Mortgage Regulatory Bill, 2009 (serially numbered SB.288)

The sole sponsor of this Bill is Distinguished Senator Gbemi Saraki. This Bill
seeks to establish an Institute of Mortgage Development in Nigeria with the
objectives of making mortgage financing for housing development easily
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accessible to the average Nigerian citizen; and acting as a catalyst in
mortgage financing and mortgage accessibility in Nigeria (Section 2 of Bill).
The Institute is to perform specific functions as prescribed in Section 6 of the
Bill and this includes establishing a conducive framework for the provision of
mortgage financing for housing development in Nigeria.
The bill passed the First Reading on the 7th July, 2009. This Bill is currently
being packaged for debate on general principles and second reading.

7. The Labour Act (Amendment) Bill, 2009 (serially numbered SB.300)

This Bill is being sponsored solely by the Distinguished Senator Gbemi Saraki
and seeks amongst other things to eradicate the gender discrimination against
women in the areas of night work and underground work as contained in the
Labour Act. The Bill in repealing the discriminatory provisions of the Labour
Act as aforesaid, aim to empower women to make informed choices as it
concerns their chosen vocations and professions and relief them from
discrimination which they have a right to be free from under the Constitution of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.
It passed First Reading on the 29th July, 2009.

CONSTITUENCY ACHIEVEMENTS

Basically, the work of a Senator is essentially in the area of Legislation for the
good governance of the Country. But, legislative practices all over the world
encourages Senators or Legislators as the case may be to be fully identified
with their people by the Executive given them the opportunity of identifying
some salient projects for execution in their Constituencies. In addition, some
Senators do give back to the poor and the downtrodden in their Constituency
as a way of appreciation for their support during the period of electioneering.
The following are some of the modest achievements of Senator Gbemi Saraki
in her Constituency:
Constituency Projects
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These are official Constituency projects of Senator Gbemi Saraki being
handled by the Millennium Development Projects(MDG), a department under
the Presidency. They were Projects that touches directly on the lives of the
people of the Constituency. These project include construction of blocks of
classrooms with toilet facilities for some Public Primary Schools in her
Constituency, provision of classroom furniture, learning aids and books and
borehole for each of the Public primary Schools. A health centre in Apado,
Ilorin-East Local Government Area is to be fully kitted with Medical equipment
and furniture to enhance quality medical service to the people of Apado in
Ilorin-East Local Government Area of her Constituency. Also, hand pump
boreholes that will provide the rural populace with drinkable water were
spread all over the fifty two(52) Wards in her Constituency. These projects are
in a different stages of completion.
Employment
The greatest problem facing our society today is the unemployment of our
able body youths. This unemployment menace has been tackled headlong by
Senator Gbemi Saraki with a department solely created to handle
unemployment matters from her Constituency. The duty of the desk officer is
to keep record of vacancies advertised in all Ministries, Department and
Agencies of Government for the benefit of the people in the Constituency.
Coupled with the awareness created by Senator Gbemi Saraki, the system
has lead to the employment of some of our youths in the Federal Ministries,
Departments and Agencies including the Nigerian Police Force.
Contributions to Religion
Kwara Central Senatorial Districts where Senator Gbemi Saraki hailed from is
predominantly Muslims with some Christians. Religious obligations are
considered as much more sacred and important than almost any other
obligations. Sequel to this, assistance in this regard is much more appreciated
than help channelled to other areas. Because of this, Senator Gbemi Saraki
has made it a point of duty to feeding people and also buying rams for them
during Ramadan and Eid-l-Kabir festivals, She also sends both Muslims and
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Christians in her Constituency on Holy pilgrimage to perform their religious
obligations. Annually Senator Gbemi Saraki is noted for sending one person
per ward from the fifty two (52) Wards in her Constituency in addition to
selecting people at random. In 2008 alone, a total of eighty five (85) Muslims
were sent on a pilgrimage to Mecca, while fifteen (15) Christians were sent on
a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The same feat has been repeated in subsequent
years.

Scholarship for Students

Senator Gbemi Saraki is a philanthropist who does not forget the children of
the poor and the down trodden in her quest for a better society. She has in
her programme, a scholarship scheme, which is an annual event aimed at
assisting indigent Students of poor parental background to receive education
without stress. This is in addition to the several millions she pays quarterly for
the education of the children of poor party supporters and followers. Over forty
five (45) indigent Students were awarded scholarship in 2010 during a formal
public presentation. The beneficiaries cut across all the Senatorial Districts of
Kwara State.

Rehabilitation of Traditional Palaces

During the electioneering campaign, Senator Gbemi Saraki promised to
renovate the palaces of some traditional rulers living in very despicable
conditions. Some of them live in Palaces without ceilings, chairs and tables,
while others had the entire roof of their palace blown off by very strong winds.
In fulfilment of the electoral promise to the traditional rulers, renovation works
on the Palaces of the Alangwa Ajagusi, Alangwa Osin Aremu, Magaji Danialu
and Alangwa Opolo in Asa, Ilorin-West and Ilorin-South were carried out
respectfully. The Alangwa of Agbona in Asa whose Palace was blown off by a
very strong wind was given financial assistance to demolish the old structure.

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In what appears to be the first phase of the exercise, the Alangwa has since
started re-building his Palace.

Rehabilitation of School and Party Secretariat

A block of three (3) classrooms was rehabilitated by Senator Gbemi Saraki at
L.G.E.A. Karuma in Ilorin-East Local Government Area of our Constituency.
The idea behind this is to ensure that the children of the poor who patronizes
this school were taught in a conducive environment. She also rehabilitated the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Party Secretariat for Balogun Fulani Ward II
in Ilorin-South Local Government Area of her Constituency. This was in line
with the promise made to the people during the electioneering campaign.

Payment for Health Insurance scheme

It is a wise saying that ‘Health is wealth’. In line with this timeline truth,
Senator Gbemi Saraki paid for the Community Health Insurance Scheme of
over three thousand and five hundred (3,500) families in Asa Local
Government Area of Kwara State. This is to ensure that sick members of the
Community get prompt medical attention when necessary.

Empowerment
In order to further empower the poor in her Constituency, Senator Gbemi
Saraki registered a Foundation known and called the ‘HAVE FOUNDATION’.
The Foundation is an avenue to reach out to the less privilege in her
Constituency irrespective of Party affiliation. Among other things, some of the
objectives of the Foundation is to provide services and also give financial
support to the needy. A sum of three million and five hundred thousand
(N3,500,000.00) naira has been approved for distribution as revolving loans to
the people without interest under the Foundation. Similarly, the purchase of
two (2) tractors has been approved by Senator Gbemi Saraki to assist poor
farmers in the Constituency in land cultivation. Some Coordinators of the
Foundation have been pencilled down for training in modern day Agriculture in
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Shongai Agricultural Institute Porto Novo, Benin Republic. The trainees will in
turn become extension workers for the HAVE FOUNDATION. They will
provide free extension services to the farmers in the Constituency.