By Nkechinyere Ewa
The Ebonyi State House of Assembly has enacted a new law to regulate the activities of metal and electrical scrap dealers, check arbitrary house rents and restrict the fees charged by estate agents operating in the state.
The legislation, known as the Ebonyi State Sale of Scraps, House Rent and Agent Fees Regulation Law, 2026, was unanimously passed during plenary on Tuesday at the Assembly Complex, Nkaliki Road, Abakaliki.
The sitting was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Moses Ije Odunwa.
The law is deemed to have come into force on August 11, 2026, and is intended to tackle the growing concerns over vandalism, scrap theft, environmental degradation and exploitation in the property sector.
Under the new law, no individual or organisation is permitted to buy, sell, possess for sale, transport or dispose of metal or electrical scraps without obtaining the appropriate licence as a dealer.
Any person who contravenes the provision is liable to imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years or a fine of up to N500,000.
The legislation also targets abuses in the housing sector by establishing measures for regulating rents and estate agency charges.
It provides that a landlord who fraudulently obtains an order for possession of an accommodation through misrepresentation, fraud or concealment of a material fact commits an offence punishable by up to two years imprisonment.
The law further places a ceiling of two per cent of the gross value of a property transaction on agents’ fees.
It also prohibits landlords from demanding or collecting rent above the standard rent prescribed by the Governor for the category of accommodation concerned.
In a bid to improve accountability and professionalism in the property sector, estate agents operating within Ebonyi State capital are required to register with the Ministry of Capital City.
Presenting the merits of the bill, the Leader of the House, Hon. Kingsley Ogbonna Ikoro, urged members to support its passage, arguing that the legislation would provide a legal framework for tackling vandalism of public and private property as well as exploitative practices in the housing sector.
The lawmakers who contributed to the debate, including Hon. Victor Nwoke of Abakaliki North, Hon. Nwodo Aloysius Nwodo of Ebonyi North West, Hon. Oluchukwu Ukie Ezeali of Afikpo East, Hon. Friday Ogbuewu of Ezza South and Hon. Celestine Ogba of Onicha East, described the legislation as timely.
They maintained that the law would help curb scrap theft and bring an end to arbitrary increases in house rents and excessive charges by agents.
Speaking after the passage, Speaker Odunwa expressed strong concern over the activities of some scrap dealers, saying their operations had contributed to damage and insecurity in communities.
He said the new law would promote public safety, discourage vandalism and restore sanity to property transactions across the state.
The bill was subjected to detailed consideration by the Committee of the Whole, during which members examined it page by page and made corrections to identified grammatical and drafting errors.
It was subsequently passed unanimously by the lawmakers.
Assembly Adopts 2025 Auditor-General’s Report
In another development, the Assembly considered and adopted the Auditor-General’s report on the Consolidated Financial Statement of the Government of Ebonyi State for the financial year ended December 31, 2025.
The report was adjudged to be in accordance with accepted accounting principles.
Nine Amasiri Development Centre Nominees Confirmed
The lawmakers also screened and confirmed nine nominees forwarded by Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru as Coordinator and members of the Management Committee of the Amasiri Development Centre in Afikpo Local Government Area.
The confirmation followed the reinstatement of the Amasiri Development Centre, which had earlier been disbanded and delisted as a development centre in the state.
Speaking on behalf of the nominees, the newly confirmed Coordinator, Hon. Baron Anya Ogbonna, expressed appreciation to Governor Nwifuru for the confidence reposed in them.
He pledged that the committee would work towards restoring peace, unity and sustainable development in Amasiri.