THE Kwara State House of Assembly has summoned owners of two filling stations in Ilorin before it for allegedly operating illegally.

The filling Stations are M.M. Ibrolak Interbiz at Agbo-oba and Juniwad Petrol Station at Ita-Merin area of the town.

In the same vein, owners of the Petrol stations under construction along Oko-Erin, Kuntu, Abayawo and Ode Alawonla in Okelele, all in Ilorin have been summoned to appear before the House's Ad-Hoc Committee on Proliferation of Filling Stations for their alleged failure to secure necessary documents before embarking on the construction of the stations.

Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee Kamaldeen Fagbemi gave the directive in Ilorin during the Ad-hoc Committee's visit to some filling stations at Okelele, Abayawo, Alagbado, Kongbari and Muritala Mohammed Way, all in Ilorin Metropolis.

Fagbemi accompanied by members of the Ad-Hoc Committee, hierarchy of the State Town Planning and Development Authority, Fire Service, Ministry of Environment and Forestry as well as the (IPMAN) expressed disappointment over the indiscriminate construction of filling stations in residential area of the metropolis "without regard for safety of lives and property."

He said the House of Assembly would not fold its arms and watch the lives and property of those who elected them into office being threatened by few individuals under the guise of desperately looking for money.

Kwara State Governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed has called on traditional rulers as symbols of an institution that once thrived on taxation to help in mobilizing their people in fulfilling this civil obligation of playing taxes.

Governor Ahmed made the call at the weekend during the presentation of Second Class Staff of Office to the Oloota of Odo Owa, Oba Joshua Oluwatoba Adeyemi in Odo-Owa, in Oke-Ero local government area of the State.

The governor said it was important that key stakeholders like the traditional institution assisted the news established Kwara State Internal Revenue Service in ensuring that the people of the state comply with the increased revenue generation drive by playing all dues, taxes, levies and commissions.

"No society can develop and thrive without a robust system for collecting, managing and utilizing tax renewed for collective benefit.

"Consequently, increasing our Internally Generated Revenue is the only way to reduce our dependence on unstable federal allocation.

"We also need to raise the necessary funds for infrastructural development and empowering our people, especially the youths. I call on you to be at the forefront of our drive to raise revenue to build higher quality schools, more hospitals, better roads, ensure more reliable electricity and create an environment condusive to our people's prosperity", the governor said.

Dr Ahmed reiterated his call for constitutional role for traditional rulers due to their status as a respected institution for grassroots mobilization, cohesion, socio-economic and political development.

The Oloota of Odo-Owa, Oba Joshua Adegbuyi Ademola Anyeloye II in his acceptance speech promised to join hands with the state government in ensuring the success of its new revenue drive.