New Enugu City Management Agency bill passes second reading

The New Enugu City Management Agency bill on Thursday passed through the second reading in the state House of Assembly.

If passed, the bill is designed to decongest the Enugu metropolis.

The member representing Ezeagu Constituency, Mr Chima Obieze, while leading a debate on the bill, said the idea of creating a new Enugu city was laudable because it would help to depopulate the Enugu urban.

Obieze expressed the hope that the new city would afford civil servants and other workers in the state to buy land and build houses for themselves.

The lawmaker called on the state government to make adequate provisions for the poor and middle class in the new city, urging the government to avoid the temptation of building the city for rich individuals.

He enjoined Gov. Peter Mbah to consider building an estate that would be affordable by the residents of the state, stressing that the poor people in the state deserve to live in conducive houses.

Mr Lebechi Eze, representing Isi-uzo Constituency, while contributing, said the agency would help in the management of the new city, and commended Gov. Mbah for his move to develop other parts of the state.

Eze maintained that the management agency would assist the government to plan the city, to avoid mistakes being experienced currently in the metropolis, urging the agency to make provision for recreational centres in the new city.

In his submission, the Minority Leader of the House, Mr Iloabuchi Aniagu, revealed that the state government plans to make the new city strictly a residential area, and also equip it with facilities to make the place conducive for its residents.