RVHA Set To Protect Public Utilities

Rivers State House of Assembly is set to consider a Bill for the protection of public utilities when the Assembly resumes after the Easter holidays.

This followed the first reading of a proposed law titled “Rivers State public utilities protection Bill presented as a private members Bill by the member of the House representing Obio/Akpor constituency I, Hon Martin Chike Amaewhule.

Hon Amaewhule said the proposed law became necessary following indiscriminate destruction of public utilities such as electricity facilities, water pipes and seaway system, suggesting the setting up of a public utilities protection committee.                     The lawmaker posited that any person who engages in any conduct’s willfully or otherwise, that results in the destruction of any public work or public utility shall be guilty of an offence and liable under the law when operational.

He opined that to effectively check the incessant destruction of public works, the law when passed provides for a committee that shall be an inter-ministerial committee that would have two representatives each from the ministries of Water Resources and Rural Development, Works, Power, Transport and any other ministry as the Governor may deem necessary as members.

The Bill also provides liability for destruction of a public work such that any person who destroys any public work shall bear the cost of replacement or repair of such public work or face imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or both.

According to the sponsor of the proposed law, it equally has provision for the arrest of an offender by a Police Officer without warrant as well as seizure of any equipment used in connection with the commission of the offence under the law.