The Rivers State House of Assembly on Wednesday held a public hearing on bills Prohibiting the Curtailment of the Rights of Women to Share in Family Property and the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshots.
The bills were sponsored by Michael Chindah, a member representing Obio-Akpor constituency 2, and Sam Ogeh, representing Emohua constituency respectively.
Speaking during the Public Hearing at the Rivers State House of Assembly, the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dr Ipalibo Harry Banigo represented by Asemota Usifo spoke in support of the bill to become law.
The bill Prohibiting the Curtailment of the Rights of Women to Share in Family Property makes provision for the right of a married woman to partake in the sharing of family property.
It also makes a general provision for the girl child, including those adopted, female children born out of wedlock whose paternity has been established by the father, to become beneficiaries from the family property without discrimination.
Another part of the bill makes provision for offenders of the law to be sentenced to five years imprisonment or pay a fine of N500,000 or both and will relinquish the seized property.
Supporting the second bill on the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshots, the Christian Association of Nigeria and the Rivers State council of Islamic Affairs maintained that the Bill is in line with their religious doctrine, adding that it should be passed into law.
On his part, the chairman of the house committee, Dumle Maol said the committee will meet to reconcile applicable submissions on both bills.
Present at the hearing include members of the ad-hoc committee Hon. Sam Ogeh (Emohua state Constituency ), Hon. Hon Ahiakwo Christian (Onelga Constituency I ) Hon. Lolo Isaiah Opuende ( Akuku-Toru Constituency II ) and Hon. Barr. Solomon Sokolo (Abua/Odual Constituency).
Others in attendance include the FIDA Rivers State delegation, led by its chairperson, Adata Bio-Briggs, traditional leaders, religious leaders, Civil Society Organizations, among others.
