The Ogun State House of Assembly on Tuesday passed into law a bill seeking to regulate the activities of scavengers and waste dealers across the state. The legislation, titled the Scavengers and Waste Dealers Law, 2025, was passed during plenary at the Assembly Complex in Abeokuta to promote public order, environmental safety, and peaceful coexistence.
The passage followed the presentation of the report by the Chairman of the House Committee on Environment, Samusideen Lawal (PDP Ogun-Waterside), who moved the motion for its adoption. The motion was seconded by the Minority Leader, Lukman Adeleye (PDP Odogbolu), and supported by all members through a unanimous voice vote.
The bill was read and adopted clause by clause before the Committee of the Whole House. The Majority Leader, Yusuf Sherrif (APC Ado-Odo/Ota 1), later moved the motion for its third reading. The Clerk and Head of Legislative Service, Sakiru Adebakin, subsequently read the bill for the third time before the lawmakers.
The Speaker, Oludaisi Elemide, directed that the clean copy of the bill be forwarded to Governor Dapo Abiodun for his assent.
During the earlier consideration of the bill on February 11, the Ogun Assembly had emphasized that the law would empower communities to control the operations of scavengers in their areas. The lawmakers stated that the legislation would ensure accountability by mandating all scavengers to register with the Ministry of Environment, law enforcement agencies, and community leaders.
According to the Assembly, the bill aims to protect the environment by creating a structured and monitored framework for waste recycling and disposal. The initiative is expected to reduce illegal waste collection, improve public health, and enhance sustainable waste management across Ogun State.
In another development, the Assembly has invited all stakeholders involved in the defunct Anchor Borrowers Programme, an initiative of the Federal Government implemented in partnership with the state government.
The invitation follows allegations of illegal withdrawals of personal savings from farmers who participated in the programme. The Speaker, Oludaisi Elemide, issued the directive after a presentation by the Minority Leader, Lukman Adeleye, who cited Order 8 (47) and requested that the concerned stakeholders appear before the House on October 21.
Elemide explained that previous meetings with the stakeholders, including officials from the Central Bank of Nigeria, Wema Bank, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, the State Ministry of Agriculture, and the Cassava Farmers Association, had not produced meaningful results.
He said, “Many victims of the Anchor Borrowers Programme are still experiencing illegal withdrawals of their personal funds without benefiting from the programme.”
The Speaker added that some farmers were being held liable to repay loans they never received. “The farmers’ personal money was reportedly withdrawn from their accounts without notice, years after the programme had ended,” he said.