Residents of Osogbo, capital of Osun State, have trooped out to the streets in protest against what they termed exploitative and fraudulent activities of house agents in the state.
They lamented that persons who were hired by house owners as agents have been demanding exorbitant rents and other charges that make it difficult for them to pay for accommodation.
Most of the protesters, who gathered at Freedom Park area of Osogbo on Thursday before moving to Olaiya and other major streets, were students, who complained bitterly of the expensive rents they pay.
They called on the state government to regulate activities of house agents and caretakers, saying even when it is true that building materials are costly, their high monetary demands are far too high and need to be checked.
The protesters carried different banners bearing inscriptions such as “Say No to Fraudulent Activities of House Agents in Osun State. Enough is Enough”; “We Say No to Over Price House Agent”; “Housing Agency Should Be Regulated,” among others.
Some of the protesters boarded a vehicle with loudspeakers, calling on other residents to join in condemning the activities of fraudulent house agents.
Recall that the state chapter of the Youth Assembly of Nigeria had recently, during a press conference in Osogbo, lamented exploitation by house agents and issued a 7-day ultimatum to the state government and the State House of Assembly to urgently address the menace.
Led by its Speaker, Fatomi Hammed, the youth group demanded an end to the unchecked exploitation in the housing sector that continues to plague the people of Osun.
“In recent times, our cities and towns have become a hotbed for fraudulent and exploitative practices by house agents and landlords who operate freely without regulation, oversight, or consequences under a broken system.
“What we are witnessing is not just an inconvenience; it is a crisis that has spiralled beyond individual struggles into a societal emergency. If no action is taken within this period, we will be left with no other option but to lead the biggest peaceful protest ever organised by the youth constituency in the history of this state,” the group had threatened.
Meanwhile, there is a bill seeking to regulate Real Estate Agency Practice currently at the Osun State House of Assembly.
The bill, sponsored by the Majority Leader of the House, Kofoworola Babajide, when passed into law, will lead to the establishment of the Osun State Estate Agency Regulatory Authority.
The authority shall have the powers to prepare rules and regulations for the practice of Estate Agency in the State; identify persons eligible to be licensed as Estate Agents; issue and renew licences annually and maintain a register of licensed Estate Agents.
The bill also gives the power to sanction unlicensed Estate Agency practitioners in the State; organise monitoring teams and conduct inspections in order to ensure compliance with the Bill, and investigate complaints and petitions against Licensed Estate Agency practitioners and collate data on property transactions.
