The Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, has announced plans to tackle the growing menace of extortion by house agents in the state.
The Speaker promised that the 10th Oyo State House of Assembly will enact law that will regulate the activities of house agents.
Hon. Ogundoyin, who reaffirmed his commitment to youth development and governance, made the promise on Monday at a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Oyo State Agency for Youth Development, under the leadership of its Chairman, Prince Adebowale Falana.
The meeting, held at the House of Chiefs, Parliament Building, Secretariat Ibadan, brought together representatives of registered youth organisations and associations across the state.
During the interactive session, several youths raised concerns about the alarming rate of extortion by house agents in the state.
They lamented the exploitative practices that have made access to housing increasingly difficult for residents.
Responding to their lamentations, Hon. Ogundoyin announced that the Oyo State House of Assembly would come up with a committee that would draft a bill to regulate the activities of house agents and curb their excesses.
He said it was time the excessive activities of the various house agents were stopped, assuring all stakeholders that the proposed legislation 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,” the Speaker 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.
“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,” Rt. Hon. Ogundoyin said.
He further urged youths to shun social vices such as cybercrime, popularly known as Yahoo Yahoo, ritual practices, and other destructive behaviors that undermine their future and the image of the state.
Packaged by Adekunle Adegboyega
