3rd August, 2019
By Okafor Ofiebor
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has set up six mobile courts to mete out instant trial and judgement on traders and others trading and carrying out illegal activities at unauthorized places in the state.
Wike spoke on Friday while signing into law three bills passed by the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The Bills signed into law by Governor Wike are: Rivers State Street Trading, Illegal Markets & Motor (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 on Friday, Wike said that the State Government was committed to entrenching good governance and the rule of law.
Wike said that the State Government would diligently implement the Rivers State Street Trading, Illegal Markets & Motor Park (Prohibition) Law to clean up Port Harcourt and its environs.
“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”.
According to Wike, the State Government had employed workers to fully implement the law.
He disclosed that the 400 Workers would work in shifts till 8pm everyday to ensure that nobody engaged in street trading, illegal markets and illegal motor parks.
On the environmental law, 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 to prepare a bill to be sent to the House of Assembly over these environmental issues,” he said.
Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Ikuinyi Ibani said that the Assembly was pleased with the achievements of the governor, hence they would continue to support his administration.
He said that the three laws were focused on enhancing the living standard of Rivers people. He said what the Rivers State Governor is doing in collaboration with the State Assembly would lift the State ahead of others.
Earlier, the Majority Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly , Mr Martins Amaewhule presented the three Bills to Governor Wike for assent.
Simeon Nwakaudu,
Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor, Electronic Media.
2nd August, 2019.