Street Trading Prohibition Bill Tears Rivers Lawmakers Apart

Some lawmakers have thrown their weight behind the new bill which was passed into law last Tuesday to check street trading and illegal motor parks in the state.
Majority Leader of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Martins Amaewhule said the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice should be given the regulatory powers to interpret and implement the law.
Amaewhule argued that the vision of the executive in proposing the bill was to make sure sanity is ensured in the state.
In the view of Hon.Michael Chinda of Obio/Akpor II the bill should be all encompassing to reflect the views of Rivers people.
Even though it is an executive bill, Chinda said the main focus should be how it would be used to better the lives of the citizenry.
Nathaniel Uwaji of Ogba Egbema/Ndoni ll said there should be no sacred cows in its implimentation, while Deeyah Bariene of Khana suggested that Ministry of Urban Development should join hands with Ministry of Transport to oversee the implementation.
On his part, the Chief Whip suggested that looking at the bill, the Ministry of Urban Development should be the main overseeing ministry.
However, ruling on the matter, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi Owaji Ibani called for an interdisciplinary collaboration to ensure that the law works.
The Speaker also submitted that the Attorney-General can have delegated duty of amending the law as may be required from time to time.