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Economy

Propose A Bill To Formalise Informal Artisanal Activities And Relationship With The State Government

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Our Assessment 

This promise is rated Promise Broken. Despite several high-profile engagements with artisanal groups and the distribution of empowerment tools throughout the 2019–2023 term, the administration failed to propose the specific legislative bill promised in its manifesto. No executive bill aimed at formalizing the legal or structural relationship between informal artisans and the state government was presented to the Oyo State House of Assembly during this period. 

 

Why It Matters 

The informal sector, comprising thousands of tailors, mechanics, hairdressers, and carpenters, represents the largest employer of labor in Oyo State. However, operating in the "informal" shadow leaves these workers vulnerable to arbitrary levies, lack of access to formal credit, and exclusion from government social protection schemes. Formalizing this sector through a bill would have provided artisans with a recognized legal identity, standardized their operations, and created a structured channel for them to negotiate with the state. Without this bill, the relationship remains purely discretionary and political rather than institutional and rights-based.
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Progress So Far

Mar 01, 2024

Legislative Framework for Oyo Artisans Fails to Materialize as Makinde’s First Term Concludes

As the first term concluded in May 2023, the administration’s interaction with the artisanal sector remained focused on political mobilization and direct empowerment rather than policy reform. 

 

During the 2023 Workers’ Day celebrations and various campaign stops, the Governor praised artisans for "oiling the wheels of the state economy," but no mention was made of the stalled legislative proposal. By the end of the term, the artisanal groups remained governed by traditional association rules rather than a state-backed formalization law.

 

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Throughout 2021 and 2022, the government's efforts were centered on "tax net expansion" rather than "formalization." While the Board of Internal Revenue attempted to capture more informal workers into the tax system, this was done under existing revenue laws rather than a new bill designed to "formalize" their broader relationship with the state. 

 

The transition from "informal" to "formal" through a dedicated bill remained an unaddressed item on the administration's agenda as the 2019–2023 mandate expired.

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