RVHA Explains Neighbourhood Safety Corps Bill

Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Ikuinyi-owaji Ibani and other members of the House were in Government House last week to present bills for assent by the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike.
The assent of the governor to the State Neighbourhood Safety Corps Bills of 2018 automatically makes it a law following the passage of the bill on the floor of the House.
Initiator of the bill and Minority Leader of the House, Hon. fredrick Anabraba, in a phone-in radio programme penultimate week, defended the bill and why the legislators supported it.
According to Anabraba, the bill was a forerunner in the quest on consolidate on the gains of the in checking crime in the state. He argued that the the bill would help to regulate the activities of vigilante groups which have become common place in many parts of the state. Contrary to views expressed by the opposition, the legislator stressed that it never had any plan to use the bill to witch out political opponents.
Anabraba averred that the law would help bring into conformity activities of vigilantes with prescribed laws, recalling that the state government had proscribed vigilante groups some time in 2016.
Apart from helping to regulate vigilantes, the law when operational, the lawmaker also submitted, would help in harnessing civilians’ support in gathering security intelligence, and ultimately boost surveillance and effective protection of lives and properties.
Said he: “It will help promote confidence between security agencies and ordinary people. It will also strengthen police and public confidence in their operations”.
Debunking the aspect of arms handling by the Neighbourhood Corps, the lawmaker representing Akuku Toru II cited sections 3 and 4 of the law, explained that there was nothing conflicting, since the agency would be liaising with the police authorities in the area of operations.
On the constitution of the body, he stated that it would have a board made up of representatives of the various security agencies with a Director General appointed by the governor.
Within the week under review, many legislators intensified their constituency project activities. In Ogu Bolo, member representing the area in the Assembly, Hon. Evans Bipi took journalists round some ongoing projects under his 2017 constituency project.
Bipi who was at Bolo to inspect the level of work done at the Bolo Mini-Stadium assured the people of the area of more dividends of democracy and effective representation.
Member representing Port Harcourt constituency II in the House, Hon. Tonye Adoki Smart carried out a sensitisation programme last weekend as he called on all Ijaws to support Governor Wike’s second term bid.
Hon. Adoki reminded the Ijaws in Rivers State that Wike had touched all riverine communities, as there was no part left in his developmental agenda.