The Lagos State House of Assembly has approved a Market Authority Bill, a piece of legislation designed to strictly regulate market operations in the state.
The bill, which has passed its second reading, has been referred to the House committee on local government for further review. The committee is expected to submit its report within two weeks.
If enacted as a law, the Market Authority Bill will outline the procedures for registering, forming, and organising market operations in Lagos State. It aims to address existing legal shortcomings and ensure that all markets are duly registered and operate in compliance with the law.
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Sanni Okanlawon, chairman of the local government committee, said the proposed law would rectify anomalies in the extant legislation. He noted that it would make it mandatory for all markets to be officially registered.
Rauf Age-Suleiman, another legislator, praised the bill for its inclusive composition of a proposed board. He said the board would represent a broad range of stakeholders and serve as an opportunity for others to hold positions.
Also, Sa’ad Olumoh, a member of the House, supported the bill’s requirement for the appointment of board members to be ratified by the House. He noted that the legislation would help to eliminate the practice of traders arbitrarily claiming titles within markets.
He also proposed that the Iyaloja-General should be added to the market board, “Clause 18 talks about an advisory board which the Iyaloja-General is going to be heading. That tells us that our Iyaloja is in a better position to give the necessary advice,” he said.
