By The Majority Leader of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon Adewunmi Kofoworola Babajide, on Friday presided, on behalf of the Speaker, over an engagement between the House Committee on Environment and Sanitation and the Osun State Ministry of Environment and Sanitation.
The engagement was held at the Osun State House of Assembly Complex, Osogbo, and was organised under the auspices of the Committee, chaired by Hon Folorunso Yemi Ogundare, member representing Ayedaade State Constituency, along with other committee members.
The Ministry’s delegation was led by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Kunle Tijani, who joined other officials and environmental stakeholders for the discussions.
According to Adewunmi, who represents Ede North State Constituency, the engagement was aimed at examining the environmental sanitation challenges facing the state, understanding the operational realities of those managing them, identifying obstacles to effective service delivery, and determining practical steps toward a cleaner and more sustainable Osun State.
She said a clean environment extends beyond the appearance of streets, describing it as fundamentally tied to public health, flood prevention, environmental sustainability, economic activity and overall quality of life.
Adewunmi called for a coordinated and sustained approach involving government institutions, local government authorities, environmental professionals, waste management operators, community leaders, civil society organisations, businesses and residents.
“As legislators, our responsibility goes beyond oversight for the sake of oversight,” she said. “We must listen to government agencies, understand their operational realities and, where necessary, utilise the legislative process to facilitate stronger policies, improved institutional coordination and more effective service delivery.”
She stressed that government cannot achieve a sustainably clean Osun State alone, noting that while government must provide the necessary framework, infrastructure and enforcement, citizens must also take responsibility for proper waste disposal, protection of drainage channels and compliance with environmental regulations.
Adewunmi commended Ogundare for his commitment to the Committee’s responsibilities and appreciated Tijani and his delegation for their participation and contributions to the engagement.
She reaffirmed her commitment to supporting initiatives that promote the health, safety, wellbeing and sustainable development of Osun residents, saying a coordinated effort can help build a cleaner, healthier and more environmentally responsible state.
