Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku has directed the House Committee on Public Petition to investigate a petition by one Sandra Palmer Martins over alleged denial of access to her son, Johaness Martins Owen who is presently in the custody of her estranged Nigerian-Danish husband, Uyi Martins.
Distraught Sandra had approached the lawmakers in a petition sent to the House on her behalf by her Counsels, A.I. Oviawe Legal Consult titled: “A passionate Call for Intervention.”
Hearing on the petition came up on Monday during the plenary on the floor of the Edo State House of Assembly.
Parts of petition reads, “We are constrained to urgently and passionately draw your attention to the callous, inhuman and fraudulent acts of one Mr Kelvin Uyi Martins, (our client’s husband) who is a Nigerian and also a Danish citizen who last known address is Kongedybet 2, ST.TV 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark and with property in Benin City, which property our client had hitherto lived until she was forcefully ejected from the house with thugs.”
Agbebaku thereafter mandated the committee to investigate the petition and report back to the House within two weeks.
In another instance, the Edo Assembly has passed a Bill for a Law to provide the legal framework for the establishment of the Edo State Oil Palm Programme to promote Oil Palm Cultivation.
The passage of the Bill was sequel to the consideration of the report of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food Security which was presented on Monday by its Chairman, Hon. Kaycee Osamwonyi, member representing Uhunmwode Constituency.
The House said the report which contained four (4) findings and one (1) recommendation was timely and desirable considering the challenges facing the Oil Palm sector in Edo State.
“That the Bill shall provide an institutional framework for the operation of the Edo State Oil Palm Programme through collaboration with the private sector; it will help the development of the Oil Palm sector and help create jobs for the youths as well as boost economic growth and contribute to our Forest Management and Restoration.”
The committee’s only recommendation requested that the Bill be considered and passed by the Honorable House.
The Speaker, after the consideration, therefore directed the Clerk of the House to send clean copies of the passed Bill to the State governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki for his assent.
In another development, the Speaker directed the management of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, and TCN to appear before the House on Wednesday March 27 to explain reasons for poor service delivery in the state.
The Speaker gave this directive during plenary, saying it has become necessary due to the epileptic and near nonexistent power supply currently suffered by the people of the state.
