March 21, (THEWILL) – The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ebonyi State council, has raised the alarm over house and shop rents increment in the state.
It urged the state government to wade into the arbitrary increase in house and shop rents, by promulgating a law to regulate the activities of shylock landlords and house agents in the State, in order to ameliorate the sufferings of Ebonyi residents.
This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of its congress at Dr Sam Egwu press centre, Abakaliki, the state capital, on Thursday evening.
The communiqué was signed by the state Chairman of the union, Comrade Samson Nwafor, the secretary, Nnamdi Akpa, Dr Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Sunday Agbo and Chinwe Imo-Eze, members of the committee.
A two-bedroom flat in the state is between N600,000 and N900,000 while a three-bedroom flat is between N800,000 and N1,200,000.
Also a shop in the state is between N10,000 and N20,000.
NUJ frowned at the alarming house and shop rents increment and urged the state government to immediately intervene into the situation to save the people from untold hardship.
The union, which commended Governor Francis Nwifuru for restoring public water supply after over ten years by rehabilitating moribund mega water schemes in the state, also urged the government to trace broken water pipes in the state and fix them to ensure effective water supply and reticulation.
“Congress observed that many residents of the State are not enjoying pipe borne water despite State’s government efforts to ensure that her citizens enjoy basic amenities. Congress appeals to the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Water Resources to respond quickly to the plights of the people by tracing broken pipes and fix them to ensure effective water supply and reticulation.
“Congress frowned at the alarming rate of increment of house rent in the State and urges the Ebonyi State House of Assembly to immediately wade into the skyrocketing house rent in the State by way of promulgating a law to regulate the activities of shylock landlords and House Agents in the State in order to ameliorate the sufferings of Ebonyi residents.
“Congress noted with concern the attitude of some local contractors handling various contracts for Ebonyi State government, and therefore calls on the Ebonyi State Governor, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, to consider the capability and integrity of persons/contractors the State government awards contracts to, henceforth. Congress charges the contractors to adhere strictly to specifications and contract terms to deliver at record time”, the communiqué said.
Sunday Ogbu is a professional journalist with eight - twelve years experience that had worked with various print and online media. Sunday specializes in news reporting with the aim of educating his readers on current social, political and economic occurences within his area of coverage. Sunday is a strong force to work with in the media industry and uses his positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. Sunday is inspired daily by his wife and their four children. In his free time, Sunday likes sight-seeing, reading and discussing issues of societal interest.
