EBONYI ASSEMBLY PASSES BILL TO REGULATE SCRAP TRADE, RENTS, AGENTS FEE

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HOTJIST NEWS

The Ebonyi House of Assembly has made a new law that controls the scrap trade, house rents, and fees charged by estate agents.This law aims to stop people from taking advantage of others and stopping damage to property.

The law was approved during a meeting led by the Speaker, Mr Moses Odunwa. It is called the “Ebonyi State Sale of Scraps, House Rent and Agent Fees Regulation Law, 2026.”

The law, deemed to commence immediately if assented to by Gov. Francis Nwifuru, sought to regulate the sale, possession, transportation and disposal of metal and electrical scraps, standardize house rents and curb excessive agent fees.

It prohibits the purchase, sale, possession for sale, transportation or disposal of metal or electrical scraps except by licensed dealers operating in accordance with regulations made under the law.

The legislation proposes imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or a fine of up to N500,000 to offenders.

The legislation also stipulates that landlords who obtain possession of accommodation through fraud, misrepresentation or concealment of material facts commit an offence punishable by up to two years’ imprisonment.

It further limits agents’ fees to not more than two per cent of the gross sum of a property transaction.

From the commencement of the law, landlords are required to comply with standard rents prescribed by the governor for applicable categories of accommodation.

The law also requires all estate agents operating in the state capital to register with the Ministry of Capital City to promote transparency and professionalism in property transactions.

Presenting the bill, the House Leader, Kingsley Ikoro, said the legislation was designed to check vandalism, environmental degradation and exploitative practices in the housing sector.

“This legislation is very important to us as a people because it will help check vandalism of critical assets, environmental degradation and exploitative practices in the housing sector,” Ikoro said.

Victor Nwoke, Aloysius Nwodo, Oluchukwu Ezeali, Friday Ogbuewu, and Celestine Ogba joined the discussion by saying the new law was a good and needed step to stop scrap theft and sudden rent hikes.

One of the speakers explained that scrap traders had caused a lot of problems in the community.
They said if the law is put into action, it would make things safer for people and bring back trust in how property is bought and sold.

The committee looked at each part of the bill carefully. Members fixed any grammar mistakes they found and then all agreed to pass the law.

The House also approved the state Auditor-General’s report on the Ebonyi Government’s financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2025.
They said the report followed proper accounting rules.

The lawmakers screened and confirmed nine nominees of the governor as coordinator and members of the management committee of Amasiri Development Centre, Afikpo Local Government Area.

The screening follows the reinstatement of the development centre, which had earlier been disbanded and delisted by the Ebonyi Government.

(NAN)