By Gbenga Sodeinde
Ekiti State House of Assembly has passed seven bills and committed one other to Committee for further legislative scrutiny.
The bills passed at plenary on Tuesday include a bill banning open defecation in the state and bill for a law to grant government support for indigent families with multiple births through the establishment of a Multiple Births Trust Fund.
Others are a a bill to establish the Ekiti State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency to control and regulate the erection and installation of Masts and Towers and a bill for a law to provide for registration and regulation of the activities of motor vehicle and motor vehicle spare parts dealers within the state.
Also passed are a bill to Provide for Local Content in Bidding of Contracts and Other Related Matters, a bill to Impose Tax on Goods and Service Consumed in Hotels, Restaurants and Event Centres, and Ekiti State Listed Sites(Preservation) bill, 2022.
The passage of the Bills followed the submission of reports by Chairmen of relevant House Committees saddled with the responsibility of further work on them.
Various Committee Chairmen that included Honourables Michael Arubu of Committee on Public Utilities, Committee on Women Affairs Yemisi Ayokunle, Committee on Environment, Tunde Idowu, Committee on Works and Transportation, Rt Hon Hakeem Jamiu, Committee on Investment,Trade and Industries, Yemi Osatuyi and Committee on Culture and Tourism, Hon Oyekola Bode – Adeoye all presented their reports.
At the plenary, a bill for a law to provide for the Establishment of the Ekiti State House of Assembly centre for Democracy and legislative Studies and for Other Matters Connected Thereto, 2022 was committed to the joint Committee of Public Service Matters, Establishment and Training, Committee on Judiciary Matters and Legal Matters, and the Committee on Science and Technology for further Legislative Scrutiny.
The bill, according to the submissions of lawmakers of Honourables Goke Olajide, Adeoye Aribasoye and Akindele Femi would empower both the honourable members and the staff of the Assembly.
The Committees have a mandate of scrutinising the bill and report back to the whole House within a week.