Elechi Signs Environmental Protection Bill Into Law

Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi has signed the state’s Environmental Protection bill into law.

The state House of Assembly passed the bill into law on April 3, 2012.

The law is to be known as “Law 002 of 2012— Prohibiting Street Trading, Hawking and Operation of Artisans and Workshops along Designated Roads. ’’

Elechi said that the law became necessary because of the decay in the environment, especially in urban cities such as Abakaliki, the state capital.

“Before the nation’s independence in 1960, Abakaliki ranked second to Port Harcourt in terms of cleanliness, even cleaner than Enugu which was the region’s headquarters,” he said.

He noted that structures erected prior to the enactment of the law and which comply with government specifications would not be affected in the ensuing demolition exercise.

“We don’t want the citizens to suffer double jeopardy otherwise the law would be applied in all cases whether approval was rightly or wrongly given. “

Elechi said that structures which meet the specification in the certificate of occupancy would not be demolished.

He said: “in cases where they are however, offensive to stipulated regulations, they would be demolished and adequate compensations paid to affected persons. “

The governor urged the local government chairmen to cooperate with those executing the provisions of the law.

“We would, however, make the necessary deductions from the coffers of councils, who fail to comply with the directives, not minding whether they take us to court or not. “

Elechi remarked that the law took effect from April 3, 2012 despite being signed into law on April 12, and warned those in default to retrace their steps.

The Speaker of the house of assembly, Mr Chukwuma Nwazunku, noted that the bill was the third passed by the house since he assumed office in December 2011.

“We conducted series of public hearings from relevant stakeholders in order to get their views and opinions.

“If the law is effectively implemented, it would ensure the cleanliness of the city, as I enjoin the citizens to embrace it because it is for their own good.