Two bills including a bill for a law to establish the Ogun State Cash and Food Crops Marketing Board and another seeking to establish the Ogun State Centre for African Drum Festival, as an annual international cultural event in the State and a Board for the Management of affairs of the centre had scaled second reading before members of the State House of Assembly.
The bill titled: “HB. No. 035/ OG/2018- Ogun State Cash and Food Crops Marketing Board Law, 2018”, aimed at boosting food security and provide raw material for industrial activities and the other bill “HB. No. 041/OG/2018- Ogun State Centre for African Drum Law, 2018”, would help institutionalize the African Drums Festival, with a view to creating a cultural tourism product to attract local and international tourists to the State.
Opening debate on State Cash and Food Crops Marketing Board Law, the Sponsor and a member, representing Abeokuta North State Constituency, Olayiwola Ojodu, said the bill, when passed and signed into law by the State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, would secure the most favourable arrangement for the purchase, grading and preservation, for onwards marketing and distribution of cash and food crops throughout the State and for export.
Ojodu added that the bill, when operational, would serve as off-takers for farm produce, with a view to engendering a market driven production, while identifying the various agricultural farm produce in which the State had local or international comparative advantage and direct effort to increase output.
Contributing, the Deputy Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, Hons. Olusola Bankole, Adeyinka Mafe and Tunde Sanusi, recalled the role of the defunct Western Nigeria Market Board in the monumental development of western region, noting that the bill, when operational, would assist farmers to key into a globally acceptable farming practices and handling of produce for international acceptability.
On its part, the State Centre for African Drum bill was unanimously supported by members of the Assembly with an assertion that it would institutionalize the annual State Drum Festival meant to promote the traditional significance of drums and other cultural values beyond the borders of the Gateway State, thereby preserving Africa’s rich cultural heritage.
Lawmakers including Olawale Alausa and Tunde Sanusi, who spoke shortly after the lead debate on the bill by the Sponsor, Akinpelu Aina, described the bill, as a legislation which would promote socio-cultural and economic values of the State and give due recognition to the annual festival, admonishing their colleague-lawmakers to give the bill an accelerated passage.
Responding, the Speaker, Rt. Hon, Suraju Ishola Adekunbi applauded his colleagues for their robust contributions to the bills and thereafter referred them to House Committees on Agriculture, as well as Information, Culture and Tourism for further legislative actions.
In another development, the Assembly has confirmed the appointment of Mr Lamidi Mulero, as the substantive Auditor General for Local Government, saying that he was found to be eligible and suitable to assume the office, following his earlier screening by the lawmakers.
The approval was sequel to the adoption of the report of the Committee of the whole house, chaired by Speaker Adekunbi, as presented by his Deputy, Olakunle Oluomo, who also moved the motion for its adoption, which was seconded by Hon. Idowu Olowofuja.
The confirmation of Mulero was thereafter done through a motion moved by the Deputy Speaker, seconded by a member representing Odogbolu State Constituency, Hon. Adebowale Ojuri and supported by the Whole House through a voice vote
