Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, has signed five bills into law. The bills which are the Value Added Tax Bill, Prohibition of Open Grazing Bill, Child Rights Act Protection Bill, Residents Registration Bill and Renaming of Infrastructure Bills were signed on Thursday.
The governor, during the signing of the bills in Government House, Port Harcourt, said the open grazing bill is a welcome development, as it is no longer fashionable.
He said the bill would address the issues of farmers/herders crises in different parts of the state.
“it is no longer a story. All of us know what our people have suffered in terms of this open grazing. Today all Nigerians have come to accept the reality that open grazing is no longer fashionable. Even our brothers in the north have agreed that it is no longer fashionable,” he said.
Wike, stated that the Value Added Tax bill on its part will address the over dependence of state governments on the Federal Government to fund projects.
He urged state governments to support the bill, adding that the judgement of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, had addressed the illegality perpetrated by the federal government.
He furthermore said the Chairman of the Rivers State Revenue Services, has been directed to issue demand notices to companies in the state to be aware of the new development.
