The Ogun State House of Assembly has summoned officials of the state fire service, the Ministries of Works and Infrastructure and Environment, and other relevant agencies over growing concerns about public safety, following a recent fire outbreak at Itele Market and other incidents across the state.
The Assembly also invited officials to address persistent traffic congestion along the Abeokuta–Sango-Ota Expressway and a reported leak of a suspected gaseous substance that led to the hospitalisation of some schoolchildren in Ijebu-Ode and its environs.
The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, issued the invitations during plenary proceedings, directing the affected officials to appear before the lawmakers on separate dates to explain the situations and outline measures being taken to address the concerns.
The first engagement is scheduled for Friday, October 23, 2026, when the Head of Fire Services in Ogun State and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs are expected to appear before the Assembly.
The invitation followed a Matter of Urgent Public Importance raised by the member representing Ijebu East State Constituency, Hon. Waliu Owode, over the recent fire outbreak at Itele Market, which reportedly destroyed property and deprived traders of their means of livelihood.
Presenting the matter, Owode expressed concern over the losses suffered by the affected traders and residents, noting that repeated appeals had been made to the government and relevant agencies for assistance.
The lawmakers are expected to engage the officials on the operations, facilities and general condition of fire stations across the state, as well as issues relating to their capacity to respond effectively to emergencies.
In a related development, the Assembly has invited the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, the Comptroller of Works of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), and the contractor handling the Abeokuta–Sango-Ota Expressway project to appear before it on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
The meeting is expected to address persistent traffic congestion along the Brewery, Ita-Oshin and Idi-Ori sections of the road.
The invitation followed concerns raised by the member representing Abeokuta North State Constituency, Hon. Babatunde Tella, who spoke under personal explanation during plenary.
Tella attributed part of the congestion to the large roundabouts along the affected sections of the expressway, suggesting that reducing their size could create more road space for motorists and improve traffic movement.
He stressed the need for urgent intervention to ease the gridlock, particularly during peak periods when motorists experience significant delays along the busy corridor.
The engagement is expected to provide an opportunity for the relevant authorities and the project contractor to explain the challenges contributing to the congestion and identify possible measures to improve traffic flow.
Meanwhile, the Assembly has summoned the Commissioner for Environment and his team, the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency and other relevant agencies to appear before it on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
The invitation concerns a reported leak of a suspected gaseous substance that allegedly led to the hospitalisation of some schoolchildren in Ijebu-Ode and neighbouring communities.
The matter was brought before the House by the member representing Odogbolu State Constituency, Hon. Lukman Adeleye, who disclosed that a similar incident had previously been reported in the area.
While acknowledging the efforts of the relevant agencies in managing earlier incidents, Adeleye emphasised the need for closer collaboration between the agencies and the legislature to prevent a recurrence.
He said the proposed engagement would enable the agencies to brief lawmakers on the measures being implemented to address the situation, strengthen public safety and prevent further exposure to potentially harmful substances.
The lawmaker also stressed the importance of identifying areas where additional government intervention and support might be necessary to protect residents, particularly schoolchildren and other vulnerable members of the community.
The three engagements underscore the Assembly’s focus on emergency response preparedness, road safety and environmental protection, as lawmakers seek explanations from the relevant authorities on incidents affecting the safety and livelihoods of residents across Ogun State.
