Ogun Assembly Chief Whip, Atinuke Bello Calls For Stiffer Penalty For Rapists

The Chief Whip of Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon Atinuke Bello has disclosed that left for her, rapists should henceforth be allowed to suffer same punishment prescribed for who ever committed murder according to Nigerian constitution.

Hon Atinuke Bello representing Odogbolu state constituency made this call while speaking on the recent rise of incident of rape cases across the country.

The lawmaker explained that ” Ogun State House of Assembly together with the good goverment of Gov Dapo Abiodun have zero tolerance to crime and all manners of criminalities.

This was why we cooperated with the state government to enact laws establishing the State Security Trust Fund with the involvement of private sector partnership so that we all can pool our resources together to deal with criminal elements in the state”

Atinuke said that “just during our last sitting, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon Olakunle Oluomo, when this issue of rape was raised by one of the lawmakers, challenged the leadership of House Commitee on Women Affairs to come out with a bill so peculiar to the state and will make it so impossible for rapists not to have full dose of their punishment whenever they are apprehended”.

She explained further that “this rape issue is scary because the victim lives with the scar of the tragic incident for the rest of her life. It is condemnable and I think we all must rise to fight it off.

A rapist is more or less a killer, so personally, I will suggest that that he should suffer the fate of a murderer according to the laws of our land”.

Meanwhile, the lawmaker has also celebrated the 9th assembly saying that it paraded group of young legislators whose sole determination is to pass laws and resolutions that would further aid good governance in the state.

Atinuke, while saying that the house under the leadership of Hon Olakunle Oluomo has delivered in the last one year said that the assembly must have passed 20 laws and about 13 resolutions all aimed at making life a lot easier for the residents of the state.

She said “some of these laws included the one we did on Security Trust Fund to bring in private sectors and strengthen the security architecture of the state.

There is this one we did on sport commission to encourage private sector participation and help take some of our youths off the street.

Just last week, we passed another bill mandating the companies in the state to ensure that 30% of their staff are recruited from their host communities to mention but few”.

Atinuke also thumbed up for the governor of the state, Prince Dapo Abiodun saying that the governor had in the last one year justified the confidence reposed in him, working to leave the state far greater and better than he met it.

The lawmaker said aside many access roads receiving the governor’s attention across the state, one other thing that excited her most is the way and manner the governor has allowed the youths to flourish in his goverment unlike what was obtainable in the past.

Atinuke said “for instance, majority of the assembly members are youth likewise those in the cabinet of the governor.

Those who are not in the cabinet have been employed into the civil service like the case of those 1000 youths who many people even advise the governor to terminate their appointment.

The CBN backed Anchor Borrowers is another great initiative that has also helped to engage many of our youths in agriculture. I think Gov Dapo Abiodun has done excellently well in the last one year”.

– Oluseun ODUNEYE, Abeokuta

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