The Kwara State House of Assembly has resolved to wade into the indiscriminate issuance of Local Government Certificate of Origin by all the 16 Local Government Councils in the State.
This follow a motion raised by a member representing Ilorin North/West Constituency Hon. AbdulRafiu AbdulRahman titled “Need to check scam and abuse of Local Government Certificate of Origin co-sponsored by the House Leader Hon. Hassan Oyeleke, Member representing Kaiama/Kemanji/Wajibe Hon. Ahmed Ibn Mohammed and a member representing Ojomu Balogun Constituency Hon. Saheed Popoola.
Leading in the debate, the sponsor of the motion Hon. AbdulRafiu AbdulRahman explained that the motion was necessitated due to short changing of indigenes of the State during recruitment and admission exercises by non indigenes who are in possession of the State of Origin Certificate of Kwara State.
Hon. AbdulRahman who expressed dissatisfaction over the development described the incident as criminal thereby denying future leaders of the State of the available limited opportunity to rise to the top.
The legislator who cited sections of the criminal code said to justify his motion said the House should wade into the problem by directing all Local Government Councils in the State to check its issuance and detect fake citizenship certificates.
In his contribution, the House Leader Hon Hassan Oyeleke said the multi ethno-religious nature of the State made it vulnerable for non indigenes to acquire it.
He however advocated the centralisation of its issuance to check proliferation and forgery of the certificate.
A member representing Kaiama/Kemanji/Wajibe Constituency Hon. Ahmed Ibn Mohammed in his contribution said without the enforcement of laws enacted by the House, the incidence of forgery of the state of origin certificate will continue unabated.
Other members who spoke on the motion identified various lapses in its issuance by Local Government Councils and advocated reduction of signatories to the certificate, penalties for culprits and re-confirmation of the genuineness of the certificate by concerned corporate organisations, individual and government agencies.
Responding to the motion, the Deputy Speaker, Elder Matthew Okedare who presided over the sitting said in view of the importance of the motion, referred it, to the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs for further legislative activities.
He also directed the Committee to invite Traditional Rulers, Community and Opinion Leaders for sensitization on the implication of indiscriminate endorsement of the certificate to non-indigenes.