The Oyo State Government on Wednesday held a stakeholder engagement with members of the Estate Rent and Commission Agents Association to curb rising cases of rent and commission extortion, reiterating its commitment to protecting tenants and sanitising the housing sector across the state.
The Commissioner for Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, Hon. Akin-Funmilayo Williams, while hosting the leaders of the association in his office, said the activities of house agents need to be regulated, noting that while the government cannot dictate the amount property owners charge as rent, such practices can be regulated by law.
He explained that this was why the association was invited to the meeting to rub minds and find a lasting solution to the issue.
He said there was a trending issue in which a radio station in the state attached his picture to reports claiming that house rent was too high, calling on him to take action on the matter.
He further noted that the State House of Assembly, during its sitting on Monday, debated a similar issue and expressed the view that a law regulating the activities of estate agents would soon be enacted.
The Commissioner explained that, before this happened, he decided to have a discussion with stakeholders to develop a position that could be presented to the House of Assembly to guide its deliberations, saying it would ensure that any law eventually enacted would not be done in isolation but would reflect the contributions of the ministry and practitioners who are directly involved in the sector.
He charged the association to come up with a clear position on the issue, which would be forwarded to the House of Assembly for further engagement.
He stressed that it would not be appropriate for the ministry to sit back and dictate the percentage to be charged by agents. Rather, practitioners in the field should provide guidance, which the ministry would review, form opinions on, and develop recommendations to be forwarded to the House of Assembly for consideration.
He noted that some of these inputs could be adopted and eventually incorporated into a law that would be binding on all.
He said that enforcement can only take place when there is a law in place, noting that without a law, enforcement is not possible.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Oyo State Estate Rent and Commission Agents Association, Hon. Okekunle Mutahir, commended the State Government, noting that most of the present government policies have positively supported their operations.
He said the improved level of security in the state has encouraged many people to relocate and settle in Oyo State, adding that the association has been aware of the concerns being raised and has been working on the issues for over a year.
Okekunle stated that inspection fees had become an avenue through which some bad eggs extort members of the public, noting that the practice was abolished by the association in early January last year.
He urged the government to support the association in flushing out such unscrupulous elements from its ranks.
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