The Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, has announced the Lawmakers’ plans to address the growing menace of extortion by house agents in the state.
Ogundoyin made the declaration on Monday at a stakeholders’ meeting organized by the State Agency for Youth Development, under the leadership of its Chairman, Adebowale Falana, reaffirming the Assembly’s commitment to youth development and governance.
Representatives of registered youth organisations and associations in the state, attended the meeting, held at the House of Chiefs, Parliament Building, Secretariat Ibadan.
Several youths, who spoke at the meeting, raised concerns about the alarming rate of extortion by house agents, lamenting the exploitative practices that they noted have made access to good housing increasingly difficult for the struggling residents.
Responding, the speaker assured them that the Assembly would inaugurate a committee that would draft a bill to regulate the activities of house agents, as part of efforts to curb their excesses.
While assuring all stakeholders that the proposed legislation will restore sanity to the housing sector in Oyo State, Ogundoyin said it would be completed and presented to Governor Seyi Makinde for assent before the end of the first quarter of the year.
“This bill will demonstrate how serious the leadership of the House is in addressing the menace of extortion by house agents. It will help protect residents from exploitation and restore sanity to the housing sector in Oyo State. The move will no doubt bring relief to residents who have long decried the unregulated practices of house agents.” He declared.
Addressing the gathering, the Speaker emphasized his role as a representative of young people in governance, describing himself as the voice of the Youth Parliament.
He called for deliberate investment in modern skill acquisition centers that would equip youths with relevant skills to thrive in today’s competitive and challenging world.
Ogundoyin also urged them to shun social vices; such as cybercrime, popularly known as ‘Yahoo Yahoo’, ritual practices, and other destructive engagements that could negatively affect their future and the image of the state.
“We should with all intent develop the youths. We should focus attention on developing skill acquisition centers that will focus on modern skill acquisition — the kind of skills that fit into today’s challenging world, especially in terms of self-sustainability,” he stated.
