By Israel Afolabi
The State of Osun House of Assembly will not hesitate to give urgent attention to regulatory bills seeking to protect the environment, as well as prevention of hazards that could jeopardize the interest of the people.
This was disclosed by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam who was represented by his Deputy, Hon. Akintunde Adegboye while presiding over the House during deliberation on the State of Osun Regulation of Sand Dealing and Dredging Operation Bill 2015 at the floor of the State Assembly Complex Osogbo.
Akintunde observed that the bill was coming at the appropriate time when stakeholders are clamouring for adequate protection of the environment.
He noticed that the bill require urgent attention because of its importance to the state and also acknowledged the damage done to the environment through illegal sand dealing and dredging.
In his words, “it is a good bill that requires urgent attention because it is necessary to set a
database for the miners in the state. The bill will not only control activities of operators but prevent environment degradation that could result from illegal operation”.
However, the speaker who noted other merits of the bill maintained that it requires accelerated Passage as he stressed the need for urgent consideration by the House.
Earlier, the Majority leader of the House, Hon. Timothy Owoeye presented the bill in which he explained its policy thrust to the House, saying it seeks to introduce license and permit to stakeholders in the mining sector.
According to him, “the bill which seek to regulate sand dealing and dredging through license and permit will checkmate illegal activities by the operators”,.
He noted other areas of policy thrust to include increase in revenue generation, creation of database for identification, streaming of operation and protection of environment.
Owoeye also added that there is illegal dredging and mining activities in Atakumosa East, Oriade, Atakumosa West and Obokun due to lack of bill to regulate the activities of miners in the state.
Other lawmakers, in their separate contributions, emphasised on the benefits accruable from the bill as they agreed on the need for priority attention and accelerated passage.
They added that State of Osun regulation of sand dealing and dredging operation bill will preserve our land and reduce environmental pollution.
They also said that there is need to regulate the bill for the interest of our people and bring sanity into the dredging activities of the operator.
The bill has scale through the second reading on the floor of the house.
