By Favour Percy-Idubor, Benin
The Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku has called on the Commissioner of Police to immediately set up a team to tackle the security challenge in Ovia South West Local Government Area and other areas in Edo State.
The Speaker made the call following a motion of urgent public importance moved by the member representing Ovia South West constituency, Hon. Sunday Aghedo, who drew attention to the incessant kidnapping in his constituency.
Speaking on the issues of urgent public importance, Hon. Sunday Aghedo thanked the House for the prompt reaction to an earlier call he made regarding security challenges in his constituency and that one of the suspects who attempted to kidnap him has been apprehended by the police. He further stated that to his surprise, kidnapping has increased instead of abating.
He cited the plight of a couple in Esi community in his constituency who were kidnapped on the 30th day of June, 2022 but the wife later escaped after a fight with one of the kidnappers. He added that Esi community has become desolate as a result of kidnapping.
Aghedo urged that the police station at Siluko co mmunity between Edo and Ondo states, to be fully equipped with materials and security personnel to combat the security challenges in his constituency
Hon. Kingsley Ugabi, a member representing Etsako East constituency while sympathizing with his colleague, said it is a wake-up call to the police and other security agencies, emphasizing the urgent need for the House to put more pressure on the police by calling on the Inspector General of Police to recruit and deploy more personnel to the field.
He further encouraged the vigilante groups to go into the interiors to fish out the miscreants perpetuating the dastardly acts.
In another development, an amendment Bill for the Edo State Transport Authority Law 2018 and other connected purposes scaled second reading in the Edo State House of Assembly.
The Bill, which was presented by the majority leader, Hon. Charity Aiguobarueghian, member representing Ovia North East constituency 1, stressed that the bill will help in enhancing the modernization of the state and in the “management and regulation of the operation of our transportation system”, saying that this will further aid the transport system to develop and become seamless, efficient and affordable.
He further appealed for a repeal of the 1993 Transport Authority Law by the House so that the amended law can operate freely on its own.
He explained that the law when amended will help the entire citizenry of the state (car owners and non-car owners) to comfortably and preferably make use of public transportation systems regularly.
Hon. Sunny Ojiezele, a member representing Esan South East Constituency who spoke in full support of the Bill, said, “This amendment is long overdue, drawing from the fact that the Bill has been operating since 2018. He further stated that Nigeria is an emerging economy, and therefore, the Bill will help the State to develop very fast in meeting with the current realities.
The speaker, in his reaction, said that the Bill is progressive. And that it will make public transportation cheaper, faster, and preferable to all.
The Bill was thereafter committed to the House Committee on Transportation to appropriately dot the I’s and cross the T’s on the Bill.
