The Oyo State House of Assembly has begun investigations into reported illegalities in some markets in the state.
DAILY POST reports that the probe is sequel to a motion raised at plenary by the Chairman, House Committee on Commerce and Cooperative, Akinjide Olajide titled “Urgent needs to curb illegalities, mismanagement and revenue leakages in markets across Oyo State”.
The Assembly noted that the situation posed a grave danger for the economic growth of the state against what was envisioned by the Governor Seyi Makinde-led government.
The Assembly noted that the act of illegality being perpetrated by some market leaders, including tampering with approved physical structures within the markets, had distorted the original plans and made markets’ structures unattractive to investors.
Olajide who represents Lagelu state constituency, said the alteration of the physical outlay of markets in the state, as well as mismanagement of public facilities, were the remote causes of irrecoverable losses in markets during fire outbreaks incidences.
He spoke in reference to the blockage of access roads and other road networks in markets with unapproved structures.
He added that the illegal structures were making it impossible for firefighters to access points of fire during outbreaks.
The lawmaker lamented that illegal collection of government revenue had become the order of the day in some markets, thereby undermining the state’s efforts at generating revenue for infrastructural development.
He called for the improvement of sanitation in markets across the state and the entrenchment of discipline in a bid to combat revenue leakages and engender economic development.
Speaker of the Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, in his remarks said the safety of all markets in the state should be paramount to all stakeholders.
He pledged that the House would make adequate checks on issues of welfare, security and revenue generation in markets across the state.
The Assembly unanimously urged the state executives to put measures in place to resuscitate and empower the task force on markets.
It directed the Committee on Commerce and Cooperative, as well as the Committee on Environment and Ecology to investigate the matter promptly and report to the House in two weeks.
