Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike has signed into law three bills passed by the State House of Assembly in a bid to strengthen the governance process. The bills signed into law by Governor Wike include Rivers State Street Trading, Illegal Markets and Motor Park (Prohibition) Bill No. 8 of 2019, Rivers State Healthcare Facilities Registration Bill No. 6 of 2019 and Rivers State Environmental Protection and Management Bill No. 7 of 2019. Giving his assent to the bills at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Governor Wike said that the state government was committed to entrenching good governance and the rule of law.
He said that the state government will diligently implement the Rivers State Street Trading, Illegal Markets & Motor Park (Prohibition) Law, to clean up Port Harcourt and its environs.
According to him, “We have vowed to bring Port Harcourt back to its Garden City status. This law will help us stop illegal street trading, illegal motor parks and illegal markets within the city centre.
“We are not going to allow the littering of the state capital. In the next few weeks, people will see improvements in Port Harcourt”, he said. The governor directed the State Attorney General to officially approach the Chief Judge of Rivers State for the appointment of magistrates for the Mobile Courts.
He said: “We have six mobile courts. So, as they arrest offenders, they will be tried and sentenced by the courts. We didn’t start implementation because there was no law”.
Governor Wike said that the state government has employed workers to fully implement the law. He noted that the 400 workers would work in shifts till 8pm everyday to ensure that nobody engages in street trading, illegal markets and illegal motor parks. On the environmental law, Governor Wike said that the state government would work towards improving the environmental sanitation of the state. He said: “We are spending N6 billion to evacuate waste annually. Even at that, people carelessly dump refuse on the road.
“This time, if you generate refuse, you will pay government to clear it . The Honourable Attorney General is to prepare a bill to be sent to the House of Assembly over these environmental issues”, he said. Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, said that the Assembly was pleased with the achievements of the governor. He said, they would continue to support his administration. He said that the three laws were focused on enhancing the living standard of Rivers people. Also, he said what the governor is doing in collaboration with the State Assembly would lift Rivers ahead of others. Earlier, the Majority Leader of the House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, presented the three bills to Governor Wike for assent.
Meanwhile, Governor Wike has relieved the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Mr Samuel Eguma, of his appointment with immediate effect. The governor said the action was to serve as deterrent to other government officials, who spend funds without approval.