Members of the legislative houses in the South West region of Nigeria have been enjoined to continue to chart more development initiatives for States in the region to maintain their leading position among the regions in the nation.
The Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Suraju Ishola Adekunbi gave the advice in his welcome address at the South West Legislative Reform and Implementation Committee (SLRIC) meeting of the Majority Leaders in the region held in Abeokuta.
Adekunbi said it became imperative for legislators in the region to work in line with the vision of the forebears towards ensuring that the zone further tapped into its potentials to become a strong region player in the country and across the globe.
He explained that the choice of the State as a venue remained significant in view of the monumental infrastructural development being put in place by the State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun which had made the State industrial hub of the nation, expressing that the forum was a partner in progress with the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN Commission), set up by the Southwest States as the institutional and programme management body to midwife their integration agenda to put the region on the world map.
Commending Governor Amosun for his leadership style and ingenuity at ensuring harmonious relationship with all arms of government, the Speaker charged the majority leaders to design recommendations towards ensuring that the region remain a zone to beat in the nation.
In his remarks, Chairman, SLRIC and Majority Leader, Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Timothy Owoeye stated that the Committee was a product of the Conference of South-West Speakers aimed at charting developmental issues for the advancement of the region through stronger legislative ties.
Owoeye added that the Commitee would facilitate common legislative framework and training for its members for improved service delivery of all legislatures in Ogun, Lagos, Ondo, Oyo, Osun and Ekiti States, just as it facilitated cross learning facilities for budget process.
Also speaking, the Majority Leader of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Adeyinka Mafe, extolled the leading roles of the gateway State in all fields of endeavours, describing the event as a historical gathering which was an avenue for legislators to harness legislative ideas for the development of the State, region and the nation at large.
Packaged by Azeez Ayansola
