Members of Delta House of Assembly last Wednesday passed into law a bill to prohibit terrorism, cultism, kidnapping, hostage taking and the use of bombs.

The passage of the bill followed a report presented by the Chairman, House Committee on Peace and Security, Mr Benjamin Okiemute-Essien.

The bill, sponsored by 28 members of the House, provided for death penalty for kidnappers, cultists and terrorists.

It also stipulated that property used by those who engage in hostage taking would be confiscated by the government.

The bill further stipulated that any GSM company that failed to provide information to security operatives regarding kidnappers’ phone calls within 20 hours as request, would be liable to a fine of N24 million.

Speaking after its passage, the Speaker, Mr Victor Ochei, said the bill was considered clause by clause and amendments were made in sections where necessary.

He directed the Clerk of the House, Mr Lyna Ocholor to prepare a clean copy of the bill for the governor’s assent.

During a public hearing on the bill, the government advocated for life sentence for kidnappers.

But after several debates, the House adopted death penalty as a ‘more stringent’ measure to check the activities of kidnappers in the state.

Meanwhile, the House on Wednesday received the report on a bill for a law to establish the Delta State Emergency Management Agency.

The report was presented by members of the Committees on Environment, Oil and Gas, Youths, Sports Development, Special Duties and Health as well as Housing and Transport.

Meanwhile the Delta Government has commenced a roundtable meeting on Town Planning Regulation and the Environmental Laws.

Declaring the meeting open in Asaba Thursday, Special Adviser to Gov. Emmanuel Uduaghan, Mr Andrew Odum, said that the objective of the meeting was to formulate policies of good governance consistent with the present day demand.

Odum said that the state government recognised the fundamental role of good laws and regulations as well as sound complementary acts.

He said that the government appreciated the necessity of strong institutions of good governance as critical drivers and pillars of any meaningful development.

He therefore called on all stakeholders, including professional bodies to partner with the state government in its pursuit of sustainable good governance.

Odum said that there was gradual degeneration of moral and ethic values in every aspect of the society.

“This has reflected adversely on the way we now do things in and out of government. “As a result, our institutions of government are regrettably too weak to adequately support the aspirations of any government,’’ he said.