The Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, has renewed the call for full financial and administrative autonomy for state legislatures, insisting that independence is essential for effective lawmaking, robust oversight, and improved governance.

Elemide made the call at a roundtable discussion held at the Assembly Complex, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, to commemorate his two years in office as Speaker.

He said the demand for autonomy is anchored on the need to strengthen democratic institutions and enhance service delivery, noting that legislatures cannot perform optimally without adequate resources and operational independence.

According to him, the legislature bears enormous responsibility in lawmaking, regulation, and oversight, which requires modern infrastructure and facilities that meet contemporary standards.

“We have a great deal of regulatory and legislative work to do. To function effectively, we need improved accommodation and facilities that are durable, functional, and befitting of 21st-century legislative practice,” Elemide said.

The Speaker lamented that many legislative and educational facilities in the state no longer meet modern requirements, attributing the situation to years of insufficient investment in infrastructure.

While commending the efforts of the executive arm led by Governor Dapo Abiodun, Elemide said that although the governor has continued to do his best, full autonomy for the legislature would significantly enhance institutional efficiency and democratic governance.

He stressed that the growing nationwide agitation for legislative independence is justified, as autonomy would free lawmakers from undue constraints and enable them to discharge their constitutional duties effectively.

“Across the country, there is a clamour for complete and total independence of the legislature. That is what will give us the capacity to operate optimally. While the governor is doing his best, we need full autonomy,” he stated.

Elemide expressed confidence that granting autonomy to state legislatures would deepen accountability, strengthen democracy, and improve governance outcomes in Ogun State.

Reviewing the achievements of the 10th Assembly in the last two years, the Speaker disclosed that about 55 per cent of land-grabbing-related petitions received by the House had been successfully resolved, helping to sustain peace and stability across the state.

He explained that most petitions handled by the Assembly revolve around land disputes, adding that the House often intervenes by inviting all parties involved to seek amicable resolution.

“Most of the petitions before the Assembly relate to land grabbing. We intervene by engaging both complainants and defendants to resolve disputes through dialogue,” he said.

Elemide noted that mediation remains the Assembly’s primary conflict-resolution tool, adding that more than half of such cases have been settled peacefully.

He reaffirmed the House’s commitment to conflict resolution and good governance, stressing that while lasting solutions depend largely on the political will of the executive arm, the legislature will continue to perform its constitutional duties without fear or favour.