…Promises GCE fee assistance, improved schools, agricultural financing and healthcare access for Ipokia/Yewa South
The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Ipokia/Yewa South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Dr. Oluwatoyin Taiwo, has unveiled an ambitious development agenda centred on education, youth empowerment, agricultural development, healthcare and infrastructure ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Taiwo, the immediate past Chief of Staff to Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, CON, said his proposed legislative priorities would address the developmental challenges confronting residents of Ipokia and Yewa South through effective representation, strategic engagement with federal institutions and sustained advocacy for projects capable of improving the quality of life of constituents.
He disclosed this during the concluding phase of his Back-to-School Initiative in Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State, where he distributed exercise books, school sandals and socks to pupils and students in selected schools.
The initiative, which commenced in Ipokia Local Government Area approximately a month earlier, was extended to Yewa South to fulfil his commitment to reaching schools across the two local government areas that make up the federal constituency.
According to Taiwo, the intervention was designed to reduce the financial pressure on parents, particularly those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, while ensuring that children have access to essential educational materials needed for effective learning.
As part of the programme, he also pledged to provide new school uniforms for all pupils of Jaja Community Primary School, further underscoring his stated commitment to supporting basic education and improving the welfare of schoolchildren.
Education Takes Centre Stage
Education featured prominently in Taiwo's proposed legislative agenda, with the APC candidate promising to advocate policies and interventions that would improve access to quality learning and address the challenges confronting public schools across the constituency.
He identified assistance for students from low-income households, including support with General Certificate of Education (GCE) examination fees, as one of the measures he intends to pursue if elected to the House of Representatives.
He also promised to advocate improved school infrastructure, better learning conditions and wider access to educational opportunities for children and young people in the constituency.
Taiwo explained that his engagement with schools during the Back-to-School Initiative had provided an opportunity to interact with teachers and administrators, assess their concerns and gain a clearer understanding of the challenges affecting teaching and learning.
Among the issues identified during the visits were infrastructural deficiencies and poor access roads to some schools, which he said required attention from the appropriate authorities.
He pledged to channel the concerns through relevant government agencies and legislative processes, stressing that effective representation must go beyond making promises to identifying community needs, facilitating government interventions and monitoring the implementation of approved projects.
Youth Empowerment, Skills Acquisition
Beyond formal education, Taiwo said youth empowerment would be a major component of his proposed legislative programme, with emphasis on vocational training, digital skills acquisition, entrepreneurship development and access to employment opportunities.
He noted that equipping young people with relevant skills and supporting their transition into productive economic activities could help reduce unemployment, stimulate innovation and strengthen the local economy.
His proposed interventions would also target market women, widows and other vulnerable groups through economic inclusion initiatives intended to improve livelihoods and expand access to opportunities.
Taiwo said sustainable empowerment required more than temporary assistance, adding that skills development, access to productive resources and opportunities for self-employment could help individuals and families achieve greater economic stability.
His agenda, as outlined, places particular emphasis on creating pathways through which young people can participate meaningfully in the digital economy, entrepreneurship and other emerging employment sectors.
Plans to Boost Agriculture and Rural Economy
Agriculture is another major pillar of Taiwo's proposed development agenda, given its importance to livelihoods and economic activities across Ipokia and Yewa South.
He pledged to advocate improved access to farm inputs, modern agricultural equipment, mechanisation, financing and markets for farmers in the constituency.
According to him, supporting farmers to increase productivity, reduce post-harvest losses and secure better returns from their produce would contribute to food security, strengthen rural economies and create additional employment opportunities for young people.
He maintained that agricultural development should be approached as both an economic empowerment strategy and a means of improving the welfare of farming communities.
Taiwo's proposed focus on agricultural financing and modern equipment also points to the need for stronger engagement with relevant federal institutions and programmes that support farmers, although the implementation of such interventions would depend on the availability of funding and the applicable government processes.
Healthcare, Roads and Infrastructure
On healthcare and infrastructure, the APC candidate promised to engage relevant federal ministries, departments and agencies to attract development projects to the constituency.
He identified inadequate roads and limited access to essential services in some communities as challenges that could constrain economic activities, restrict mobility and affect residents' access to education, healthcare and other public services.
Taiwo said his proposed approach would involve identifying priority projects, advocating their inclusion in relevant government plans and budgets, and monitoring their execution through the oversight responsibilities of the National Assembly.
He emphasised that meaningful development required coordination among government institutions and sustained attention to the needs of communities that had yet to benefit adequately from essential infrastructure.
The candidate also expressed an intention to advocate greater federal attention to the development potential of Tongeji Island.
He called for credible assessments of the island's reported natural resource potential and the exploration of viable development opportunities through the appropriate regulatory channels.
Such efforts, he indicated, would need to be guided by proper assessments and relevant approvals to establish the feasibility of prospective projects and ensure that development initiatives serve the interests of the area.
Says Representation Goes Beyond Lawmaking
Taiwo maintained that effective representation at the National Assembly involves more than participation in plenary debates and the passage of legislation.
According to him, a representative must also engage constituents, exercise oversight over government institutions, advocate for constituency projects during budgetary processes and monitor the implementation of approved programmes.
He expressed confidence that his experience in public administration and policy coordination, gained during his tenure as Chief of Staff to Governor Abiodun, would help him engage relevant institutions and pursue development opportunities for the constituency if elected in 2027.
The former Chief of Staff also commended Governor Abiodun for his administration's investments in education and infrastructure, noting that closer collaboration between federal and state governments could improve access to development programmes and projects.
He argued that constructive engagement across the two levels of government would be important in advancing priorities such as education, agricultural development, youth empowerment and infrastructure.
Orebiyi Commends Back-to-School Initiative
Also speaking during the exercise, the APC candidate for the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Bayo Orebiyi, commended Taiwo for the Back-to-School Initiative, describing it as a timely intervention amid the economic difficulties facing many households.
Orebiyi noted that the cost of providing basic educational materials could place considerable pressure on parents, particularly those struggling to meet other family needs.
He stressed that investment in affordable, quality education remained a fundamental responsibility of government and would feature prominently in his own legislative agenda.
His remarks reinforced the importance of collaboration among political representatives and stakeholders in addressing educational challenges at both state and federal levels.
School Principal Appreciates Gesture
The Principal of Itolu Community High School, Mrs. Mobolaji Oluwakemi Adegoke, expressed appreciation to Taiwo for donating exercise books, school sandals and socks to pupils and students.
Adegoke said the intervention would support the beneficiaries and assured that teachers would complement the gesture through dedicated teaching and sustained efforts to improve learning outcomes.
She emphasised the importance of providing students with the necessary materials and creating an environment that encourages academic development.
The schools visited during the exercise included Yewa South Primary School, Ijana; Itolu Community High School, Ilaro; Jaja Community Primary School; Yewa South Local Government School, Awuko Alagbon; Yewa South Primary School, Elekute; Yewa High School, Ajilete; and St. James Primary School, Oke Odan, all in Yewa South Local Government Area.
The visits formed the concluding phase of the initiative, which began in Ipokia Local Government Area before being extended to communities in Yewa South.
2027 Contest and Expectations
With the 2027 general elections approaching, Taiwo's proposed agenda places education, agriculture, youth empowerment, healthcare and infrastructure at the centre of his campaign for the Ipokia/Yewa South Federal Constituency seat.
His Back-to-School Initiative has provided an avenue to engage school communities and distribute educational materials, while his broader policy proposals outline areas he intends to pursue through legislative advocacy and engagement with government institutions.
However, the realisation of the proposed agenda would depend on his electoral success, the relevant legislative and budgetary processes, collaboration with government agencies and the availability of resources for approved interventions.
For residents of Ipokia and Yewa South, the key expectation will be how effectively the candidate translates his campaign commitments into measurable improvements in education, employment opportunities, agricultural productivity, healthcare access and infrastructure.
As political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 elections, Taiwo's message is that effective representation should deliver tangible benefits to constituents and address the everyday challenges affecting households, schools, farmers, businesses and vulnerable groups across the federal constituency.
