Ogun State House of Assembly has explained the reasons for the delay in the passage of the Annual African Drum Festival Bill initiated by the immediate past administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun, to promote and project the cultural heritage and rich tourism potential of the state to the world.
The bill pending since the commencement of the ninth legislature in June 2019, is seeking among other provisions, the establishment of the Ogun State Centre For African Drum Festival as an Annual International Cultural Event and setting up of a board for the management of the affairs of the centre.
The House Information, Culture and Tourism Committee Chairman, Hon.Temitope Adejojo in a chat with Edu-Biznews over the weekend in Abeokuta, revealed that the lawmakers are still waiting for amendment to the bill from various stakeholders before its passage into law.
According to him", we are waiting for amendment to the bill, the bill titled "African Drum Festival", we are looking at making the festival more elaborate to include fashion parade and African cuisine to make more interesting and rich in projecting Ogun, Nigeria and African cultural and tourism potential.
Adejojo also blamed the delay on the coronavirus pandemic which seriously slowed down the legislative activities in the state because of the presidential lockdown to curb the spread of the virus in the country.
He assured that the bill would be passed as soon as the State Executive Council send its amendment to the house for consideration.
"As soon as the house gets all amendments to the bill from stakeholders, we will definitely work on the bill", Adejojo promised.
He added that the house would always give priority to passage of bills that would enhance the economy and improve lives of the people in the state.
Former governor initiated the bill to provide legal frame work for the annual celebration of the international cultural festival being celebrated every April, which started in 2016 and the last edition held in 2019 at the State Amphitheatre still under construction at Oke-Ilewo, the in the central business district of Abeokuta, the state capital.
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