• Friday, March 29, 2024
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Obaseki to present 2021 proposed appropriation bill Tuesday

Edo College of Agriculture to takeoff first quarter 2021, Obaseki reassures

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki will on Tuesday, November 10, 2020 present the 2021 proposed appropriation bill to the state house of assembly for consideration and passage.

Marcus Onobun, the Speaker of the assembly made the disclosure at a plenary on Monday (yesterday) in Benin City. The house, also gave first reading to the revised proposed Supplementary appropriation law 2020 .

Meanwhile, a non – governmental organization under the umbrella of the Niger Delta Dialogue (NDL) has appealed to the house to revisit the law prohibiting cultism related activities in the state.

The coordinator of the group, Austin Osakue, who led other members during a courtesy visit to the speaker in his office opined that cult activities have assumed a worrisome dimension in the state.

Osakue, who alleged that some youths have resulted to holding open initiation in various parts of the city, noted that the act has become endemic and a potential factor for violence in the state.

He added that the group had contracted a team of researchers from University of Benin to help conduct a research into insecurity in the Niger Delta particularly in Edo state.

He explained that the researchers were through with the task and has identified the causes and the endemic areas in the state.

“On a specific note my speaker, there is the need to control cult activities in the state. We are aware that the Sixth Assembly made an attempt at enacting a law to control cult activities in the state.

“We want to appeal to this seventh assembly to revisit the law. We are living in an environment where people believe that they can get away with crime.

“We are also appealing to the house to help restore peace to the state following the hijack of the protest by hoodlums,” he said.

Responding, the speaker, Marcus Onobun thanked the group for the visit and added that the report would help the house make informed decisions on ways to curb the menace of cultism in the state.

Onobun, who however, lamented the hijack of the peaceful protest by hoodlums added that the youths succeeded in passing their message.

The speaker, who said there were laws prohibiting cult – related activities in the state, assured that the house would ensure that the laws and orders were properly implemented.