Ondo State House of Assembly has approved request for council approval to draw down the One billion, five hundred million naira Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme (AADS) facility for agricultural activities in the state.

The request for council approval of the fund was contained in the message from the Governor of the State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to the House for its approval.

Moving the motion for the approval of the fund during plenary , the Majority Leader of the House, Mr. Olusegun Araoyinbo representing Akoko Northwest 2, said Ondo State being an agrarian state will be able to provide more job opportunity through the fund for its citizenry.

Seconding the motion, the Deputy Chief Whip, Mr. Sunday Olajide, said the fund which sought for the approval of the House by the governor is meant for the agricultural development and the benefit of the people in the state.

He noted that the repayment of the fund would not be a problem to the government due to the one digit interest on the fund.

Olajide explained that if necessary facilities for agricultural development are possessed through the fund,saying it will bring about accelerated development into the state agriculture and other sectors of the economy.

Lawmakers at the plenary session unanimously agreed that the fund should be approved

While approving the fund, the Speaker, Mr. Bamidele Oleyelogun, optimistic that the fund in line with its advantages will make roads linking to farms in the state motorable for farmers to transport their farms’ products to towns.

During the plenary session, five bills were passed into laws .

The bills included: State legislative funds management bill, 2019; a bill for a law to provide for the management of funds of the state judiciary and for other related matters and a bill for a law to provide for the establishment of Consumer Protection Agency in the state.

Others are: a bill for a law to amend the State University of Medical Sciences law 2014 to integrate the State School of Nursing and Midwifery,Akure and allied matters and the State House of Assembly Service Commission (establishment) bill,2019.

In separate submissions of reports on State legislative funds management bill, 2019 and a bill for a law to provide for the management of funds of the state judiciary for consideration, the Chairman House Ad-hoc Committee on Autonomy, Mr. Maito Jamiu, said the bills will grant the two arms of government financial independence to discharge their statutory functions without fears.

He added that the bills will enable the two arms of government perform their functions without undue interference from any quarter as problem of bureaucratic bottleneck would be eradicated.

On a bill to provide for the establishment of Consumer Protection Agency in the state, the Chairman, House Committee on Commerce and Industry, Mr. Sola Ebiwonjumi from Okitipupa 1, while submitting the report of the committee on the bill for consideration, said Governor Akeredolu has approved to re -domesticate Consumer Protection Agency law in the state.

He noted that the bill when eventually passed into law would lead to eradication of hazardous products from market and ensure that products and services comply with required standard/specifications.

Some bills at their second reading stages were stepped down till the next sitting of the House.

Source: https://orangefm.com.ng/odha-passes-into-law-financial-autonomy-bills-for-legislative-judiciary-others/

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