RVHA Commits PPPI Bill To Committee Stage … Eulogises Gov Amaechi’s Dev. Strides

The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday Committed the Public-Private Participation Infrastructure Development bill (PPPI) into committee stage, even as, the state lawmakers commended Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi for his concerted effort to transform the state through private sector participation.

The PPPI bill is seeking to establish a law that would promote, facilitate, and regulate partnership between the public and private sectors in infrastructure development as well as, to establish the state council on pubic private partnerships and the state Bureau of Public Private Partnerships, and other matters related there to.

Kick-starting debate on the bill after it had passed second reading on the floor of the House, Hon. Totenaan Ogiri (Abua/Odual) noted that the aim of the bill was to provide the needed synergy between the government, public and private sectors to promote accelerated development in the state.

He described the bill as laudable and capable of fastracking development to the state adding that when passed into law, it would encourage people to participate in the development of the state.

“The bill is encouraging, as it tends to develop the state. Government would only provide land equity, while in most cases, the private investors would provid about 80 percent of the development needs” he added.

The lawmaker urged his colleagues to partner with the executive arm in its commitment to transform the state by ensuring that the bill is passed on time adding that the bill would stand the text of time.

In their contributions, Hon Chidi Lloyd (Emohua), Maureen Tamuno, (Ogu/Bolo) and Hon Onari Brown (Akuku-Toru I) stated that when the bill is passed into law, the state government would encourage private investors to do business in the state.

The lawmakers opined that the benefits inherent in the bill were more than the demerits adding that when the bill becomes a law, it would provide more employment opportunities to the people of the state.

The lawmakers urged their colleagues to give their consent to the passage of the bill into law adding that it would bring confidence in the management of public companies in the state.

In his rulling, the speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Tonye Harry who presided over the session, thanked the lawmakers for their contributions during the debate.

Hon Harry relying on the standing order of the House, committed the bill to the committee stage.

He then appointed an eight man ad-hoc committee chaired by Hon. Lucky Odili to organise a public heavring and report back to the House within two weeks for considerations and passage.