The Rivers State House of Assembly has passed two bills into law.
This follows a report emanating from a public hearing and presented on the floor of the house, yesterday.
The bills include, Rivers State Prohibition of the Curtailment of the Right of Women to Share in Family Property Bill 2021, and a Bill for a law for Compulsory Treatment of Victims of Gunshot Wounds.
With the passage of the bill, women can now share in their families’ properties, and those with gunshot wounds can now get treatment ahead of police investigation.
This followed a robust debate on the two billson the floor of the house.

Commencing debate on the bill, lawmaker representing Obio/akpor Constituency Two and sponsor of the bill, Hon Michael Chinda, said he was in agreement with all the recommendations made in the report, while stressing that the report was a compendium of what transpired at the public hearing.
Other members, including the lawmaker representing Okrika Constituency, Hon Linda Somiari Stewart, and his Abua/Odual counterpart, Hon Solomon Sokulu, also supported the bill, saying that women have the right to be treated equally.

They commended the state government for intentionally empowering women in the state.
In his remarks at end of debate, Speaker of the house, Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, said there was no reason women should not be treated equally.
Ibani commended members for their contributions, and thanked the sponsor of the bills for thinking through, knowing that society has moved on.
He noted that interpretation clause would ensure that definite interpretation is given to what constitutes community property.
The speaker said the two bills were very important in efforts to accelerate the development and peace of the state.
He, however, divided the house for a vote.
At the end of the exercise, all members present unanimously voted for the passage of the two bills.

SOURCE: the tide news