The Ebonyi State Executive Council has approved the transmission of two executive bills to the State House of Assembly aimed at regulating house rents, agency fees, and the scrap metal trade to protect residents and safeguard public infrastructure.
The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Ikeuwa Omebeh, disclosed this while briefing journalists after the Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Francis Nwifuru in Abakaliki.
According to him, one of the proposed bills seeks to regulate the relationship between landlords, tenants, and house agents in response to the rising cost of accommodation, particularly in Abakaliki.
The bill stipulates that no house agent, whether professional or non-professional, should charge more than two per cent of the total rental value as an agency fee. The government said the measure is intended to curb arbitrary charges, protect tenants from exploitation, and ensure compliance among registered agents.
The Executive Council also approved a second bill to regulate the acquisition, sale, possession, transportation, and disposal of metal and electrical scrap across the state.
The proposed legislation is aimed at curbing the vandalism of public infrastructure, preventing environmental degradation, and enhancing public safety.
Both executive bills have been forwarded to the Ebonyi State House of Assembly for legislative consideration and possible passage into law.
