In order to redesign the leadership council across markets in Oyo State, the Committee on Commerce and Cooperatives in the state’s House of Assembly has engaged leaders of various markets and traders’ associations in a public hearing on Oyo State Market Leaders’ Council Bill, 2020.
While speaking to market men and women at the public hearing held at House of Chiefs, Oyo State House of Assembly Complex, Secretariat, Ibadan, the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Akintunde Olajide, expressed that the importance of the bill is to put an end to lingering leadership tussle across market associations in the state.
Hon. Akintunde further stated that the bill, when passed into law, will give every stakeholder a sense of belonging to the activities involving government and markets across the state.
According to the lawmaker, “this bill was proposed and sponsored by myself due to the fact that it could be observed overtime that market leadership in Oyo State was not well structured and organized due to serious power tussles that exist among traders.
“This bill, when eventually passed into law, would redesign the leadership council of markets, give it a new structure and also make it more viable in order to boost trading and business activities in our dear state.
“It is pertinent to note that in every society it is necessary to put specific people in the position of authority and responsibility in order to plan, organize, coordinate, lead and control activities of people. Hence, the need for good leadership in our markets becomes unequivocal; putting a good leadership structure in place would promote good and cordial relationships between government and traders in the state for development and good standard in our markets.
“I, therefore, want to use this medium to encourage traders in Oyo State to remain united irrespective of ethnic or religious background,” Hon. Akintunde said.
The bill, when passed into law, will centralize market leadership structure in the state with creation of the Chairman which will be occupied by the Iyaloja or babaloja of the state.
Also proposed in the bill is the creation of seven zones with two representatives from each as members of the central committee. The proposed bill will also accommodate representatives from the local government council as members.
The Director, Legal from the Ministry of Justice, Mr. Tunji Thomas advised the committee to look into the number of representatives allocated to the local government council with the aim of increasing the number.
He said that there is a need to give local governments more opportunity to be deeply involved in market activities, saying that market activities are the constitutional responsibility of the local government.
Mr. Thomas commended the lawmakers for giving stakeholders an opportunity to have inputs in the decision making process, noting that it is a major importance of public hearing.
Some market men and women leaders, who spoke commended the state government and the lawmakers for the initiative taken to unite markets and traders’ association.
They all expressed their determination to key into the initiative and give necessary support in as much as those to be appointed by the government are existing members of their association.
Among the market leaders in attendance include the Iyaloja General and Babaloja General of Oyo State, Alhaja Azeezat Folashade Abeo and Alhaji Yekinni Abass, Alhaja Hamdalat Iyadunni Lawal, Chief Labake Lawal, Alhaja Iswat Ameringun and several others.
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