From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Osun State chapter of the Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAN), has threatened to mobilise for mass action if Governor Ademola Adeleke fails to address the activities of house agents within seven days.
The speaker of the youth group, Fatomi Hammed, who spoke to journalists in Osogbo, on Tuesday, called for immediate implementation of the Agency Regulatory Bill passed by the state assembly and urgent constitution of a regulatory body to oversee house agents and landlords’ activities in the state.
YAN also called for creation of a redress platform where aggrieved tenants and victims can report extortion and unfair treatment, with establishment of a housing task force to enforce compliance, carry out regular checks, and prosecute offenders.
Noting that some house agents demand exorbitant inspection fees without any guarantee of securing an accomodation, Hammed explained that the agents deliberately inflate the cost of accommodation by doubling or tripling the fee for seekers.
“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.
“We made and submitted several appeals to both the Osun State Government and the State House of Assembly, urging them for swift intervention to implement solutions that will curb the excessiveness of these agents and landlords, create a redress mechanism for aggrieved tenants, and ensure strict compliance with rules and protection of the people’s right for fair and affordable shelter.
“Till this very moment, no meaningful action has been taken. No acknowledgment. No engagement initiated. No official response. This silence is both unacceptable and disheartening, and it sends a dangerous message: that the voices of the people, particularly the youths who form the largest and most dynamic demography in this state, can be ignored.
“We are appealing to the Osun State Government and the Osun State House of Assembly to treat this matter within 7-days with the urgency it deserves. If no action is taken within this period, we will be left with no other option but to lead the biggest peaceful protest ever organized by the youth constituency in the history of this state.
“This protest will not be to threaten democracy or destabilize governance, it will be a call to conscience, a march for justice, and a cry for accountability,” Hammed said.