Oyo Assembly backs full autonomy for state lawmakers

[Mirror]

•Operation Burst unit inaugurated in Ogbomoso The Oyo State House of Assembly has supported full autonomy for state lawmakers across the country.

Oyo State House of Assembly Speaker, Hon. Monsurat Sunmonu, spoke yesterday in Ibadan while welcoming delegate of the Conference of Speakers that was on a sensitization visit to the South-West Houses of Assembly to seek members' support for the proposed constitution amendment that will grant autonomy to the lawmakers.

She said there is no alternative to the autonomy for the Houses of Assembly if truly the legislators are to impact positively on the electorate.

The Speaker expressed delight that Governor Abiola Ajimobi is a frontline leader and enlightened politician who would support any decision capable of moving the state forward.

According to her, members of the Oyo State House of Assembly are ready to support autonomy for state lawmakers across the country.

Sunmonu said: "It is the autonomy of the lawmakers that will enhance the needed development that the democracy is all out to achieve."

Her Ekiti State counterpart, Hon. Adewale Omirin, who is the Vice-Chairman of the Speakers' Conference, said the sensitisation was an imperative to ensure an overwhelming support for the financial autonomy of the legislature.

He said: "The independence of the legislature is superficial as there can be no true independence without financial autonomy; financial autonomy will impact positively on the lives of the people.

"When the legislature is dependent on the executive, it may not be able to enforce civil and political rights of the executive and demand performance from it."

Meanwhile, as part of Governor Ajimobi's efforts to provide adequate security of lives and property in all parts of the state, a unit of the joint security outfit codenamed: "Operation Burst" has been inaugurated in Ogbomoso.

Speaking at the inauguration at the Ogbomoso South Local Government headquarters, the Commander of the squad, Brig.- Gen. Laz Ilo, described the initiative as a further demonstration of the government's zero tolerance for crime and criminal activities.

Ilo said: "Our officers and men were deployed to Ogbomoso to wage total war against crime and criminal activities.''

He urged residents to cooperate with members of the squad by providing useful information to assist in tackling criminal activities.

National Mirror