Concerned by the incessant queues at fuel stations across Ogun State, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo has called on the State Government to immediately constitute a special task force to checkmate the artificial scarcity of petroleum products occasioned by the unnecessary hoarding of the product by some unscrupulous fuel station owners.
This was just as the Speaker equally directed the Assembly’s Committee on Environment to liaise with the State Ministry of Environment and its allied agencies to embark on assessment visit to flood prone areas across the three Senatorial Districts with a view to putting forwards strategies towards ensuring proper flood and erosion control in the affected areas ahead of the rainy season.
Oluomo made the remarks while responding to the submission of a member representing Sagamu II State Constituency, Ademola Adeniran under Personal Explanation during the plenary at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
He explained that the issues of artificial scarcity of petroleum products needed to be addressed immediately, as it was already having a negative effect on all other socio-economic activities in State.
Earlier in his presentation, Hon. Adeniran condemned the artificial scarcity caused by illegal hoarding by some fuel station owners in his constituency.
He also intimated the Assembly of the recent flash flood that wrecked havoc on people’s property in his constituency and called on the State Environment Ministry to clear some drainage channels to ensure free flow of water during and after rainfall.
In a similar vein, the Speaker has challenged the Special Adviser to the State Governor on Security Matters, Mr. Olusola Subair to further explore the existing State Security Trust Fund towards ensuring the procurement of more security apparatus to be deployed across the State, especially the riverine areas to beef up security of lives and property of residents.
He made the call, while responding to the report of his Deputy, Akeem Balogun and Deputy Chief Whip, Olusola Adams, who spoke on the need to tighten security around the border areas with Lagos and Ondo States, especially around Ode-Omi, Iwopin in Ogun Waterside and Imobi in Ijebu East Local Government Areas respectively.
Oluomo also cautioned the people to stop futher encroachment to the natural habitat of elephants in the area, which had now left its habitat and had been attacking people and destroying farmlands in the Ijebu-East Local Government area.
According to him, the issue of elephants’ incursion into town which occurred in Itasin in Ijebu East, required that the State Ministries of Agriculture and Forestry engage the Nigerian Conservative Foundation towards preserving the species and the entire ecosystem.
ENROL IN HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME, OGUN SPEAKER COUNSELS WOMEN GROUPS
Ogun State House of Assembly has played host to the Coalition of Women Associations in the State led by its Vice President, Mrs. Funmilayo Ogunniyi on an advocacy visit in commemoration of this year’s International Women’s Day, with a call on all mothers and guardians in the State to enrol in the State Health Insurance Scheme to guarantee them access to qualitative primary healthcare service.
The Speaker Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo, who threw the challenge while receiving the groups at the Assembly Complex, Oke- Mosan, Abeokuta, assured them of the renewed support of the Ninth legislature on issues bordering on access to qualitative health care services and promotion of gender equality.
Oluomo noted that the Assembly since its inception had always been re-aligning the annual budget of the State to give more priority to the health sector, especially the primary health care, owing to its importance to the grassroot people.
Reaffirming that the Assembly was committed to supporting issues meant to protect the interest of women, and other relevant legislations for their benefit, stating that the Assembly would equally give its nod to the relevant bills advancing their cause even in the ongoing constitution amendment when transmitted to the State Houses of Assembly for voting.
Oluomo counseled the women groups to engage in more enlightenment programmes towards encouraging increased enrolment of women in the Health Insurance Scheme, which had been providing quality health care services at subsidized charges.
Earlier in her presentation, the Vice President, Coalition of Women Association in Ogun State, Mrs. Funmilayo Ogunniyi said that the group was poised to discussing and advancing women’s achievements and raise awareness on the elimination of violence against women and campaign against maternal mortality.
She also commended the Assembly for its legislative strides which had brought about tremendous improvement in the budgetary allocation to health sector in recent time.
