The Rivers State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, passed the “Rivers State Street Trading, Illegal Markets and Motor Parks Prohibition Bill 2019” into law.
The bill would view street trading, illegal motors parks, roadside Mechanics as an offence punishable by law
In the bill “no person shall carry on business as a roadside mechanic in a prohibited area without approval by the appropriate authority”
A fine of N50,000 is the cost for contravention for first offenders while second offenders would serve 2 years in prison.
The bill also states that a person or group who operates an unauthorized market has committed an offence and is liable to pay a fine of N200,000 or 2 years in prison or both, and if they commit such offence the second time, the offender(s) would pay a fine of N300,000 or 3 years in prison or both.
Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, called for 3rd reading of the bill after debates by House Members who also unanimously voted in favour of the passage of the bill.
The House will send will at a later date, send the bill to the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, for signing into law.
