WHY WE PASSED LAND GRABBING, ANTI-KIDNAPPING BILL-OGUN ASSEMBLY
The Ogun State House of Assembly says the need to free the citizens and residents of the State from the shackles of criminals masquerading as land grabbers (Ajagungbales) and kidnappers who disposes people of their belonging or hold people into ransom made the Assembly passed the land grabbing and Anti-kidnapping bill into law.
The Deputy Speaker, Honourable Olakunle Oluomo stated this while featuring on a radio programme tagged ‘The Citizens Right’, with a charge that anyone affected by land grabbing activities should immediately report to the law enforcement agents.
According to him, the law was a product of the experience of people in the hands of the land grabbers, including the stakeholder’s forum held on the bill, noting that the law would also checkmate cult activities in the State as the new land had spelt out relevant punishment for anyone found to have been engaged in cultism in the state.
“The law was put in place by the Assembly to curb the excesses of criminals parading themselves as land grabbers to dispose people of their landed properties or in any way affected by kidnapping activities in any part of the State”, he stated.
He pointed out that the Law would take its course as the Directorate of Public Prosecution would prosecute anyone found guilty under the new law, saying the era where unscrupulous people would engage the service of criminals in the name of land grabbers or engage in kidnapping was gone for good.
The Deputy Speaker however warned that stiffer penalty awaits any community head or traditional ruler found to be aiding and abetting land grabbing activities in any part of the State.
2017 APPROPRIATION BILL SCALES SECOND READING IN OGUN ASSEMBLY
The year 2017 Appropriation bill presented to the Ogun State House of Assembly by Governor Ibikunle Amosun, last week has scaled through second reading on the floor of the House with members expressing the hope that when passed by the Assembly and signed into law by the Governor would serve as an instrument of repositioning roads in rural areas and ensure completion of the on-going projects in the urban areas across the State.
This was the summation of opinions of lawmakers who spoke during the debate on the second reading of the bill titled: “H.B No. 08/OG/2016- Year 2017 Appropriation Law”.
Opening debate through a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Hon Adeyinka Mafe, seconded by Hon Ganiyu Oyedeji and supported by the Whole House, the member representing Ado-Odo/Ota II State Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon. Olusola Bankole said the budget when passed into law would further strengthen the sectors like education, health, agriculture as well as rural and infrastructural development which would in turn aid development of the State.
Other Honourable members who took turn to support the bill included Deputy Speaker Olakunle Oluomo, Majority Leader Adeyinka Mafe, Minority Leader, Olawale Alausa and the Chief Whip Idowu Olowofuja described the budget as a “balanced one” saying that the internally generated revenue would account for about 50% of source of funding the budget.
They added that the budget instrument would allow for investment on infrastructure, Employment generation especially the rural development which would be given priority with a view to overcoming the current economic recession.
On their part, Honourables Aina Akinpelu, Viwanu Ojo, Julianah Akintayo and Jemili Akingbade supported the bill with a call for the completion of all on-going projects embarked upon across the State.
They described the budget as an all-inclusive proposal that would take care of all the five-cardinal programmes meant for the overall development of all sectors of the State economy.
Other members including Ganiyu Oyedeji, Olayiwola Ojodu, Victor Fasanya and Tunde Sanusi called for total implementation of the budget so that the rural roads in their constituencies would be repositioned for better with the budget.
Responding, the Speaker appreciated his colleagues for a robust debate on the bill and thereafter committed the bill to the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation for further legislative process.
Meanwhile, in its effort to further strengthen the human capacity to achieve the success of the Rebuilding Mission, the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has forwarded a list of another Commissioner nominee, Mrs Adepeju Adebajo to the Assembly for screening.
The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon Suraju Ishola Adekunbi acknowledged the receipt of a correspondence signed by Governor Amosun dated 25th of November, 2016 before members of the Assembly at the day’s plenary.
OGUN ASSEMBLY SCREENS ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER NOMINEES
The Ogun State House of Assembly has screened another Commissioner-nominee, Mrs. Adebajo Adepeju, whose name had earlier been forwarded to it by the State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun with a charge to bring her wealth of experience from the private sector to bear in the promotion of good governance in the State.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon Suraju Ishola Adekunbi, represented by his Deputy, Olakunle Oluomo, who presided over the screening encouraged the nominee to contribute her quota to the development of the State when confirmed and appointed, saying that the current situation in the country required dedicated individuals with varied experience like the nominee.
According to him, the State which parades the best in virtually all sectors of the nation’s economy required the service of professionals like the nominee who had been contributing to the development of the nation’s economy in the course of her private sector work experience.
Speaking, other Honourable members including Olayiwola Ojodu, Adebowale Ojuri, and Akinpelu Aina, tasked the nominee to maintain harmonious relationship with the Assembly to further engender development and ensure good governance in the State.
Responding, Mrs Adebajo said that the State had been endowed with agricultural, mineral and other industrial resources that would be tapped to further develop it to be the best among its peers, promising to uphold proficiency and quality service delivery as well as evolve more strategies towards contributing her quota to the socio-economic development of the State when confirmed and appointed.
The nominee, Mrs Adebajo is an indigene of Ikenne Local Government Area of the State and had her first and second degrees in Chemical Engineering from the Imperial College of Science and Technology, University of London with another Masters in Business Administration from the Harvard Business School, USA, with over 30 years work experience.
OGUN MDAs TO BEGIN DEFENCE OF 2017 APPROPRIATION ON MONDAY
In compliance with Section 121, sub- section II of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), the Ogun State House of Assembly will on Monday, 5th December, 2016 play host to Head of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of Government in the State for the defence of 2017 Appropriation Bill through the various standing Committees to be presided over by the Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon. Akanbi Bankole.
A release signed by the Clerk of the House, Engr. Lanre Bisiriyu indicated that the budget defence would be declared open by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Suraju Ishola Adekunbi, at Room 215 of the Assembly Complex, Oke- Mosan, Abeokuta by 10: 00 am prompt.
The release enjoined all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the State to keep to their schedule for the yearly exercise.
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Lawal Jamiu (Head, Information Dept, OGHA)
