By CHARLES IWUOHA

The Ebonyi State House of Assembly has passed into law a bill to establish the Ebonyi State Rural Roads Authority (EBRARA) for the development, rehabilitation, and reconstruction of rural roads in the state.

The law whichh is deemed to have come into force on August 8, 2023 will be cited as the Ebonyi State Rural Access Road Authority Law and Other Matters connected therewith 2023.

The object and purpose of the law was to establish the Ebonyi Rural Access Road Authority for the overall management, design, development, rehabilitation, reconstruction and maintenance of rural roads.

The bill which was exhaustively deliberated in the Committee of the Whole was read page by page where errors of syntax and morphology were corrected.

Speaking on the bill earlier, the leader of the House, Rt Hon Kingsley Ikoro, representing Afikpo North West, maintained that in consideration of the ugly situation of rural roads across the 13 local government areas in Ebonyi State, the establishment is highly needed. He pointed out that the development of any state is measured by level of development of the rural areas.

Ikoro further stated that the passage of the bill into law would give the leaders of the board powers to ensure proper maintenance and reconstruction of rural roads for the betterment of its dwellers and transportation of Agro produce.

Contributing, the member representing Ebonyi North West State Constituency, Hon Barr Aloysius Nwodo, urged his colleagues to support the passage of the bill which he said will ensure speedy development of rural areas and lamented that many people have been victims of dilapidated roads. He called for reconstruction of Egwudinagu-Ogbala roads to reduce suffering of his constituents.

Speaking also, the member representing Ezza South, Hon Friday Ogbuewu, and member representing Onicha East, Hon Celestine Ogba, stressed that the bill if passed into law would address the high rate of Urban Rural Migration, abate high cost of living and strengthen the economic prosperity of Ebonyi people.

In his own contribution, the member representing Ebonyi North East, Hon Mrs Chinyere Nwogbaga, highlighted the importance of the bill. He noted that the Board when established shall promote sustainable development and operation of the rural road sector and equally attract investors into the state.

The leader of the House, Hon Kingsley Ikoro, moved a motion for the passage of the bill and it was seconded by the Deputy Chief Whip, Hon Lucas Arinze Chukwu.

After debate on the bill, the Speaker Rt Hon Chief Moses Ije Odunwa, put the motion to vote and it was unanimously adopted.

Speaking after the passage of the law, the Speaker, Rt Hon Chief Moses Ije Odunwa, said the Authority when fully constituted would see to the full development of the rural roads in the state. This, he said, would enhance movement of agricultural produce to the urban areas, thereby positively impacting the economic wellbeing of both the urban and rural dwellers – hence their accelerated passage to the bill.

Odunwa equally lauded the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Francis Nwifuru, for his all-inclusive government and for prioritizing the welfare of Ebonyi people.