Oyo Assembly moves to Block Revenue Leakages, Investigate Illegal market structures

The Oyo State House of Assembly has bemoaned the growing illegalities in markets across the state citing that the irregularities if unchecked will pose serious economic burden and seriously hamper the growth process envisioned by the Governor Seyi Makinde in his roadmap.

The concern about this debilitating issue was raised at the House’s floor on Thursday by state’s lawmakers while deliberating on a motion; “Urgent needs to curb illegalities, mismanagement and revenue leakages in markets across Oyo State.”
The Oyo noted that the act of illegality being performed by some market leaders, including altering the approved physical structures within the markets, had greatly disoriented the original plans and, as well, made markets’ structures uninviting to investors.
Presenting the motion on the floor of the House, the Chairman, House Committee on Commerce and Cooperative, Akinjide Olajide, indicated that alteration of 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.
Similarly, Akinjide spoke in reference to the blockage of adjoining roads and other road networks in markets with unapproved structures thereby limiting advances of fire fighters to hot spots during fire outbreaks.
The Lagelu lawmaker further stated that most markets in the state were designed to meet international standards for the purpose of promoting commerce, industry and achieving sundry other economic goals in a serene environment, but the intents were being hampered by market leaders.

He lamented that illegal collection of government revenue had become the order of the day in some markets thereby undermining state’s efforts at generating revenue for infrastructural development within the state.

He called for the improvement of sanitation of markets across the state and the entrenchment of discipline in a bid to combat revenue leakages and, thereby, engender economic development.

Lauding the current administration in the state for its infrastructural development strides in markets, the lawmaker said the state House of Assembly would support the ongoing initiative by intensifying its oversight functions through tracking of budgetary allocation for markets’ growth and development.

Other lawmakers at the plenary described the motion as timely and relevant for the growth and development of the state considering its potential as a tool for checking irregularities and other unethical activities within the markets at the expense of the state.

They unanimously urged the state government to put measures in place to resuscitate and empower the task force on markets.


Reacting at the plenary, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, said the safety of all markets in the state should be paramount to all stakeholders. He pledged that the House would make adequate check on issues of welfare, security and revenue generation in markets across the state.

The House directed the Committee on Commerce and Cooperative, as well as the Committee on Environment and Ecology to investigate the matter promptly and report same back to the House in two weeks.