By Christian ABURIME
Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR has signed into law, eleven bills passed by the state House of Assembly.
Governor Soludo performed the function at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia.
The Deputy Governor, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, Speaker of the State Assembly, Rt. Hon. Somtochukwu Udeze, among others, witnessed the signing ceremony.
The newly signed laws include:
Anambra State Electoral Law, 2024, Anambra State Touting Prohibition Law, 2024, Secret Cult and Similar Activities Prohibition Law, 2024, Health Facilities and Accreditation Agency Law, 2024, Anambra State Peace Building and Conflict Management Agency, Anambra State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission (ANSOGPADEC) Law, 2024 and Market Safety and Protection Law, 2024.
Other are; Trafficking In Person Prohibition Law, 2024, Anambra State Revenue Administration (Consolidation. and Harmonization) Law, 2024, Anambra State Private Colleges of Nursing and Midwifery Law, 2024 and the Law to Amend the Anambra State House of Assembly Service Commission Law 2021 and for other Connected Purposes.
Governor Soludo expressed great excitement after he has officially signed the bills into law and described the event as historic. He appreciated the Speaker and members of the House of Assembly for living up to their patriotic duty for the good of ndị Anambra
“This assembly is one of the most hardworking and productive Assembly in Nigeria.Enacting the laws shows that they are responsive to the needs of ndị Anambra”
“The laws have to be obeyed from today onwards, to avoid prosecution”; the Governor stated.
Speaking on the ANAMBRA STATE ELECTORAL LAW which the Governor said that ndị Anambra have been waiting for, he announced that it has been finally delivered, pointing out that it will lay the foundation for organising and conducting local government election.
He described it as a promise made and a promise kept, noting that the extant law met by his administration was rickety, saying that the team has taken pains to make a law that is in tune with the times.
“We will subsequently set up the electoral commission. When they are done, they will announce the date and time for the election.”
“We have not had local government election in more than ten years. The infrastructure and basic institutions will be strengthened to have a credible election.”
“I’m excited that we are moving forward to have this foundation. We have been making sure to reform the local government system to make it viable for new administrations.”
“When we came in, we were ready to move on, but we met issues including over 14 billion naira gratuity arrears, insecurity, infrastructure decay, financial crisis, among others, but we are getting better by the day,” Governor Soludo concluded.
Also in attendance were Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Ernest Ezeajughi, Principal Secretary to the Governor, Barr. Joachin Anaeto, Chief of Protocol and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Chinedu Nwoye, State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Sylvia Ifemeje, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, his Special Duties counterpart, Mrs Beverly Ikpeazu-Nkemdiche, Commissioner for Petroleum Resources, Barr. Anthony Ifeanya, Deputy Speaker, Anambra State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chukwuma Okoye, Majority Leader, Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Ikenna Ofodeme, among others.