By NewsCritic Reporters
Abia State House of Assembly has commenced debate on the Bill for a law to establish the Abia State Number Plate Production Authority. The Bill was sponsored by Hon Ginger Onwusibe, member representing Isiala-Ngwa North constituency in the assembly.
According to Onwusibe, if the Bill is passed into law by the lawmakers it would generate revenue for the Abia State government as well as make the registration of vehicles in the state easy, unlike what obtains now.
The Bill was considered at Plenary today Tuesday, January 28, 2020 after the House resumed from break after its last sitting on December 24, 2019.
According to the sponsor of the Bill “If we Establish an Authority to produce Number Plates, there is no doubt that it will generate revenue for Abia State,” he said.
Continuing he stressed that “sometimes when our people buy their cars and go to register them, it lingers on for one week or thereabout because of unavailability of the Number Plates.
He said “It will also help to create direct and indirect employments.
In his conclusion while leading the debate on the Bill, Hon Onwusibe said, “It is not an exclusive right of the federal government to legislate on this matter”.
After contributions by lawmakers, the Speaker, Rt Hon Chinedum Orji, said the Bill is a simple one that seeks to partner with the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, to see to the production and availability of number plates in Abia.
The Speaker added that “It is even easier to get other States’ number plates than that of Abia State, pointing out that it is for this reason that over 70 per cent of Abians have their private cars registered with either Abuja or Lagos numbers, instead of having Abia on the Number Plates.
The Bill was thereafter committed to the Joint Committee on Finance and Transportation for further input.
Also the House during Plenary entertained the Report of the House Committee on Agriculture on the Petition Titled “Save Our Soul, A Call For Urgent Intervention In The Crisis Looming Between Ubaha – Umunna Community And Fulani Herdsmen.
The Chairman of the Abia State House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture, Hon Barr Okey Igwe, presented the Report.
The House adjourned Plenary to Wednesday, 29th Day of January, 2020.
