Right To Share Family Property Bill For Public Hearing

The proposed law seeking to empower women to share in family property has scaled through second reading and has been sent to the committee stage.

Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Otelemaba Amachree, after hearing arguments by lawmakers, committed the bill to the committee of the House for further input at Wednesday’s plenary session.

Hon. Amachree directed the House Committee on Women Affairs to fine-tune the bill by holding public hearing and inviting stakeholders to help the House in enriching the law before it returns  to the Assembly for more action.

Earlier, the proposed law introduced by Hon. Michael Okey-Chinda, representing Obio/Akpor Constituency II, as a private member bill had attracted heated argument among the legislators.

Opening debate on the bill titled “Right of women to Share in Family Property” for the second day, Hon. Ibiso Nwuche, Ahoada East Constituency II, said the law would not serve any useful purpose and should be put in the cooler.

Hon. Azubuike Wanjoku, IKwerre, Ikuniyi Ibani, Andoni, and Ben Horsfall, noted that the customs and tradition of Rivers people vary, therefore the local government should make bye laws as it suits them.

They opined that the law cannot be implemented since the line of succession is clear in each family, emphasising that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guaranties the rights of every person to own property irrespective of sex and does not require further legislation.

In supporting the bill, Hon. Martins Amaewhule, Obio/Akpor II, Felicia Tane, Tai, Kelechi Worgu, Omuma, Gift Wokocha, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, I and Hon. Victoria Nyeche, Port Harcourt I, said the constitution does not forbid women from owning property and time has come to protect them from the hands of their husband’s relatives.

They argued that writing of wills is still alien to the people and the customs ignore female in sharing family property, noting that having legislated on harmful practices against women and genital mutation which are seen differently by various ethnic groups, the House should consider the bill positively.

In another development, the lawmakers resolved that the Commissioner for Works, Chairman of Road Maintenance Agency and the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Council Chairman should meet with the Speaker on Friday to address the deplorable state of internal roads and drainages in Omoku.

This followed a motion brought before the House by Hon. Gift Wokocha, representing the are  the State Assembly over the state of roads both federal and internal ones, inspite of the contributions of the local government to the goverment.