Ogun State Assembly Enacts Bill To Regulate Scavengers And Calls For Action On Multiple Police Checkpoints
By Oludare Joshua
The Ogun State House of Assembly has officially passed a bill aimed at regulating the activities of scavengers and waste dealers, promoting public order, environmental safety, and peaceful coexistence within the state.
The bill’s passage occurred during a plenary session presided over by Speaker Oludaisi Elemide, following the presentation of the House Committee Report on Environment by its chairman, Hon. Samsideen Lawal. The motion for adoption was moved by Lawal and seconded by Minority Leader Lukman Adeleye, with the support of other members through a voice vote. Following a clause-by-clause reading and review by the committee of the whole House, Majority Leader Yusuf Sheriff motioned for the bill’s third reading, which was also seconded by the minority leader and met with unanimous support from fellow lawmakers. The Clerk and Head of Legislative Service, Mr. Sakiru Adebakin, subsequently read the bill for the third time before the assembly.
In accordance with standard procedure, Speaker Elemide ordered that the finalized version of the bill be sent to Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun for his assent.
Additionally, the assembly passed a resolution calling for urgent intervention from the state government, the National Assembly, and the Inspector General of Police regarding the proliferation of police checkpoints on border roads, particularly along the Owode-Idiroko road in Ipokia Local Government Area. This action aims to address rising concerns of extortion, bribery, and harassment faced by locals and commuters.
The resolution stemmed from a motion sponsored by Hon. Adebisi Oyedele, representing the Ipokia/Idiroko state constituency. Oyedele highlighted the presence of over 52 police checkpoints along a 20-kilometer stretch, describing the situation as “unbearable” and citing a recent strike by commercial drivers in protest of the harassment, which significantly inconvenienced the community.
He urged immediate action from the relevant authorities, including a call to the state Commissioner of Police to facilitate a solution, and proposed that the resolution be sent as a petition to the National Assembly, the Inspector-General of Police, and the National Security Adviser.
Support for the motion came from other lawmakers, including Deputy Speaker Bolanle Lateefat Ajayi, Minority Leader Lukman Adeleye, and Honourables Adegoke Adeyanju and Waliu Owode, who underscored the negative impact of multiple police checkpoints on commuters across the state. The Speaker instructed that copies of the resolution be forwarded to all pertinent authorities, including the state governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
In a moment of reflection, the assembly observed a minute of silence to honor the late Olu of Ifo, Oba Samuel Oladipupo, who passed away on October 9 after two decades on the throne. Representatives for Ifo 1 and 2 state constituencies, Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo and Folawewo Salami, respectively, paid tribute to the late monarch, acknowledging his leadership and contributions to the community while praying for the peace of his soul.
