Abia State Assembly Passes 5Bills in One Day
The Abia State House of Assembly has passed five bills into law in one day.
The bills are the Abia State Structures for Signage and Advertisement (Amendment No.3) Bill, 2025; the Abia State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (Amendment No. 4) Bill, 2025; the Abia State Road Traffic and Safety Management (Amendment No.1) Bill, 2025; the Abia State Economic Planning and Development Board Bill, 2025; and the Abia State Agency for the Control of HIV and AIDS (Amendment No.1) Bill, 2025.
All the bills were sponsored by the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Okoro Uchenna Kalu.
Announcing the passage of the bills into law on Wednesday, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Rt Hon. Augustin Okezie, who presided over the day’s plenary, congratulated his colleagues on their contributions, which aided the passage of the bills.
He explained that the new laws, when accented to by Governor Dr Alex Chioma Otti, would be deemed to have come into force on May 7th, 2025.
While leading the debate during the second reading of the bills, Hon. Uchenna Kalu highlighted some of the merits. He explained that the Abia State Structures for Signage and Advertisement Agency Bill was amended to make the agency discharge its responsibilities more diligently and increase the revenue of the state, adding that it will make the agency a corporate organisation with powers to acquire property.
The Abia State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ASOPADEC) Bill was also amended to enhance its operations, according to the leader of the house.
The Bill will make the Commission more accountable, as it will have to present its activities quarterly to the Ministry of Petroleum for scrutiny and prepare its annual report and submit it to the House through the state’s auditor general.
The amended Abia State Road Traffic and Safety Management Law is expected to reduce the number of accidents that occur on the roads while ensuring that only the approved number of passengers are carried by tricycle operators and motorcycle riders.
It will also regulate the activities of heavy-duty trucks and ensure that commercial drivers and keke operators in the state do not drink and drive.
The Abia State Economic Planning and Development Board Bill will ensure that the state budget and those of the 17 LGAs in the state are tailored to promote the state’s economic development.
Hon. Uchenna further stated that the bill shall streamline and harmonise all fees, rates, levies and other revenues collected across the LGAs and help coordinate economic programmes across the LGAs and the state.
The lawmaker, who represents Arochukwu State Constituency, also explained that the House passed the Abia State Agency for the Control of HIV and AIDS Bill to widen the functions of the agency.
