A bill for a law to provide for the establishment of Anambra State Commuters’ Manifest Scheme 2024 and for other related matters has scaled second reading at the floor of the Anambra State House of Assembly.
Angel Network News (ANN) reports that the Sponsor of the bill Hon Jude Chimezie Ngobili who is the member representing Ihiala one Constituency, while leading the debate said the bill is seeking to have a database of all inflow and outflow of passengers in the state.
Hon. Ngobili who is the Chief Whip of the 8th assembly revealed that the objective of the bill is to provide for the safety and welfare of passengers in Anambra State so that in event of any road accident, there will be an agency that will take care of the victims.
In his words ” Whenever their is road accident, nobody takes care of the victims but with this bill, when passed into law, it will be mandatory for the agency which the bill is seeking to establish, to oversea and ensure that persons who sustained injuries into or out of Anambra State are taken care of.
“The bill also have remittance of prescribed fees and management agency that will be in charge with three years tenure and renewable thereafter with the approval of Anambra State Revenue Agency.
Hon Ngobili further maintained that the bill will go a long way in protecting the interests of commuters who are presently handicapped, stating that it will bring sanity to the transportation sector and raise revenue for government from every commercial vehicle that leaves the state.
Supporting the bill, Minority Leader Hon. Johnbosco Akaebobi (Nnewi South 2) Hon Ejike Okechukwu (Anaocha 2), Hon Patrick Okafor (Onitsha North 2), Deputy Minority Leader Hon Noble Igwe (Ogbaru 1), Hon Jude Umennajiego (Onitsha South 2), Deputy Majority Leader Hon Jude Akpua (Njikoka 2), Deputy Minority Whip Hon Nkechi Ogbuefi (Anaocha 1), Hon Golden Iloh (Ihiala 1) and Hon Chidi Ibemeka (Njikoka 1) applauded the bill, saying that it will assure the lives of passengers against permanent disability or any other eventuality.
” We dont pray for accidents to happen but it does happen. The dead bodies of some accident victims are not identified and they are in different mortuaries waiting for mass burials but with this bill, such scenario can be addressed”. The lawmakers submitted.
Anambra Assembly Speaker, Rt Hon Somtochukwu Udeze referred the bill to a joint committees on Transportation chaired by Hon. Patrick Udoba, and Committee on Judiciary and Justice chaired by Hon. Patrick Okafor for further legislative surgery.
The Speaker urged them to report back to the House in next three weeks.
The house adjourned to Wednesday March 27, 2024.
