Lagos Assembly proposes bill to establish market authority

A bill seeking the establishment of Lagos state market authority was proposed by the Lagos State Assembly.

Titled “Lagos State Market Authority Bill, 2024, the bill was presented by the majority leader of the House, Hon. Naheem Adams, at a public hearing on Monday.

Speaking at the public hearing, Adams said the bill seeks to regulate market operations, improve sanitation, and enhance coordination among market associations in the state.

According to him, the proposed bill seeks to establish the Lagos State Authority for the Registration, Formation, and Operation of Market Associations.

Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, who was represented by the Deputy Speaker, Mojisola Lasbat, described the bill as timely, noting that it would regulate market operations in the state.

Obasa emphasised the significance of the bill, stating that it seeks to regulate market operations and provide policy recommendations to the government on market-related issues, such as fair pricing and management.

The Speaker highlighted the roles of the bill in promoting compliance with environmental laws, improving sanitation, and eradicating illegal structures and street trading.

He said, “This bill is timely and necessary. It will regulate and coordinate our markets, introducing modern practices and ensuring proper identification of all market participants.

“This bill has come at the very right time because, with this important bill, our markets can be well regulated and coordinated. It will bring about modern practices whereby everyone who owns a space in the market will be properly identified with their exact location.

“This bill would also bring about compliance with the environmental laws of the state, where every one of our markets would be tidy, and also eradicate street trading and illegal structures that go against the plans of every market.

“The most important aspect is also to regulate and recommend policies to the government regarding problems in market affairs, which includes fair pricing with modern best practices. It would also bring about the structure for management of these marketplaces.”

The Speaker stressed that the Lagos State House of Assembly values public contributions in the making of the laws in Lagos State through public hearings.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Sanni Okanlawon, said once passed, the law would ensure effective monitoring of market activities and improve record-keeping on sanitation.

The Iyaloja of Ibaland, Chief Folashade Adedeji, spoke about the potential relocation of market women due to the bill. “Anything in the law that would remove us from our current locations should be removed,” she said.

Other stakeholders, representing various associations, called for the law to harmonise market operations, improve sanitation, and enhance coordination among market associations.

Responding to concerns raised during the public hearing, the Speaker assured stakeholders that the bill would not result in the relocation of market women.

He also acknowledged the traditional ruler’s concerns, reiterating that the bill’s primary goal is to enhance business, security, and planning through the proper registration and data collection of market associations.

“The bill, when passed into law, will promote business and security, with no intention of displacing anyone from their market locations,” she said.

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