The Ebonyi State Executive Council (EXCO) has approved the transmission of new bills to the State House of Assembly aimed at regulating house rents, estate agents’ fees, and the scrap metal business across the state.
Briefing journalists after the EXCO meeting in Abakaliki, the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Ikeuwah Omebeh, said the proposed landlord-tenant law would prevent estate agents from charging excessive fees.
Under the proposed legislation, house agents will not be allowed to charge more than 2% of the total rent paid by tenants.
According to Omebeh, the measure is intended to protect residents from exploitation and ensure that only qualified and registered agents operate in the state.
The council also approved a bill to regulate the buying, selling, transportation, possession and disposal of metal and electrical scraps, saying the move would help curb vandalism and improve public safety.
“EXCO approved the transmission of the bill to the Ebonyi State House of Assembly for proper legislation,” Omebeh said.
In addition, the council approved the establishment of state-owned herbal heritage gardens in the state’s three senatorial districts to promote research and preserve traditional medicine.
EXCO also directed the Attorney-General to begin the process of terminating uncompleted 2km road projects, while special committees were set up to ensure their completion before September 2026.
The council further approved plans for the design, construction and operation of a 6,000-tonnes-per-day cement plant at Nkalagu, in partnership with Jiangsu Pengfei Group Ltd, as part of efforts to revive industrial activities and boost the state’s economy.
