Stakeholders have called for harmonisation of market operations as the Lagos House of Assembly, yesterday, held a public hearing on a law to establish Lagos State Market Authority, which aims to regulate and coordinate market activities in the state.

The bill, titled, “A Law to Establish The Lagos State Market Authority,” is meant to provide for the registration, formation, organisation and operation of market associations and connected purposes.

The bill, if passed into law, will strengthen Lagos business activities and address some anomalies, making it mandatory for all markets to be registered. The Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Adewale, who spoke during the public hearing, expressed concern about the diminishing roles of traditional rulers in governance at both the federal and state levels.

Oba Adewale said that he had questioned President Bola Tinubu about the erosion of the roles of traditional rulers, but that the President responded that it was a constitutional matter. He, however, urged the lawmakers in the Assembly to incorporate the roles of traditional rulers in the law that will govern market associations in the state.

In his opening remarks, Obasa said the bill seeks to regulate market operations and provide policy recommendations to the government on market-related issues, such as fair pricing and management.

He, however, highlighted the roles of the bill to include promoting compliance with environmental laws, improving sanitation, and eradicating illegal structures and street trading.

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

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

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

The Majority Leader of the House, Adams Noheem, said that the bill’s structure contains 55 clauses and would establish a 31-member authority, including the Iyaloja-General, to oversee market operations.