In its determined effort to curb crimes and criminality in all parts of the State through effective legislative framework, the Ogun State House of Assembly has, Thursday, passed the proposed State Community Social Orientation and Safety Corps (So-Safe Corps) Agency bill.
This is just as the bill institutionalizing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Commission scaled second reading at the Assembly.
The bill titled “HB No. 16/OG/2016- A Bill for a Law to Establish the Ogun State Community Social Orientation and Safety Corps (So-Safe Corps) Agency for the Regulation and Control of Community Social Orientation and Safety Corps Activities And For Connected Purposes” was passed during a plenary presided over by the Speaker, Suraj Ishola Adekunbi, after the presentation of the Special Committee’s report by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Olakunle Oluomo.
Oluomo, thereafter moved the motion for the adoption of the report which was seconded by Hon. Tunde Sanusi and supported by the Whole House through a voice vote after which the bill was later read and adopted Clause-by–Clause.
The motion for the third reading of the bill was later moved by the Majority Leader, Hon. Adeyinka Mafe, seconded by the member representing Ijebu North I State Constituency, Hon. Bowale Solaja, while the Clerk of the Assembly, Engr. Lanre Bisiriyu, did the third reading of the bill.
Speaker Adekunbi subsequently directed that the clean copy of the bill be forwarded to the Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun for his assent.
In the same vein, the Assembly says the proposed Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Commission bill when passed by the assembly and eventually signed into law by the governor, would institutionalize the CSR programmes of all corporate organisations by ensuring that companies contribute their quota to the development of their host communities.
Opening debate on the bill titled: “H. B. NO. 020/OG/2017- A Bill for a Law to Provide for the Establishment of the Ogun State Corporate Social Responsibility Commission and other Matters Connected therewith”; the sponsor, Honourable Tunde Sanusi said it would help streamline and create guidelines for companies to have budget for the execution of people-oriented projects aimed at improving the living condition of host communities.
Lawmakers who contributed in support of the bill during its second reading at the plenary included the Deputy Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, Majority Leader, Adeyinka Mafe and Chief Whip, Idowu Olowofuja, said that the State having become an industrial hub of the nation, there was a need to set machineries in motion towards making investors see the need to be socially responsible to their host communities, so as to guide against youth restiveness as well as make the citizenry feel the industrialization policy of the current administration.
Others including Honourables, Akinpelu Aina, Adebiyi Adeleye, Olusola Bankole and Olusola Sonuga, noted that institutionalizing CSR would assist the investors in determining the needs of their host communities and serve as an interface between companies and their host communities.
In his response, Speaker Adekunbi, appreciated his colleague-lawmakers for their contributions to the debate on the bill and thereafter, committed it to the Committee on Commerce and Industry for further legislative actions.
Packaged by Azeez Ayansola
