The Ogun State House of Assembly on Thursday advanced two bills aimed at strengthening agriculture and improving vehicle inspection services in the state after they scaled second reading during plenary.
The proposed legislations are the Ogun State Agricultural Advancement and Sustainability Bill, 2025, and the Vehicle Inspection Services (Establishment) Bill, 2026.
Speaking during the plenary, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, assured that the relevant committees of the Assembly, alongside critical stakeholders, would subject the bills to thorough scrutiny to prevent any duplication of existing laws or unnecessary regulatory burden on residents.
Elemide gave the assurance while responding to concerns raised by lawmakers, including a former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo, and Hon. Lukman Adeleye, during deliberations on the bills.
According to the Speaker, “The relevant House Committees and stakeholders will ensure that all concerns raised during legislative consideration are adequately addressed to eliminate duplication of existing laws and promote effective implementation of the proposed legislations.”
Leading the debate on the Agricultural Advancement and Sustainability Bill, its sponsor, Hon. Babatunde Tella, said the proposed law was designed to reposition agriculture as a major driver of food security, employment generation, rural development and economic growth in Ogun State.
He explained that the bill sought to promote year round farming through irrigation, mechanised agriculture, cultivation of high yield crops, youth participation, improved security and enhanced market access for agricultural products.
Tella added that the legislation would also provide improved access to training, encourage private sector participation and establish a clear funding and implementation framework to be coordinated by the Ministry of Agriculture and other relevant stakeholders.
Contributing to the debate, Hon. Waliu Owode said the bill would help tackle rising food prices, reduce unemployment and modernise farming practices across the state.
He added that the legislation would also facilitate the establishment of new farm settlements.
Also supporting the bill, former Speaker Olakunle Oluomo called for incentives that would encourage more civil servants to embrace farming as a way of increasing food production.
Presenting the Vehicle Inspection Services (Establishment) Bill, its sponsor, Hon. Oluseun Adesanya, said the legislation would provide the legal framework for the establishment of vehicle inspection services in the state.
According to him, the bill is expected to improve safety and efficiency in the road transport sector through a structured vehicle inspection system.
Following the debate, the Assembly committed the agriculture bill to the House Committee on Agriculture and Food Security, while the vehicle inspection bill was referred to the House Committee on Transportation for further legislative action.
