Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, has announced plans to introduce a bill aimed at regulating arbitrary rent increases and ensuring more affordable housing for residents across the state.
The speaker disclosed this during a press conference in Asaba, Delta State, as part of activities marking the end of the Second Session and the 2nd Anniversary of the 8th Assembly.
Guwor said the move became necessary following growing concerns over rising house rents in key urban centers like Asaba, Warri, Sapele, and Ughelli, where low- and middle-income earners have continued to bear the brunt of incessant rent hikes.
According to the Speaker, the proposed legislation is a direct response to widespread complaints from constituents across the state, lamenting the high cost of decent accommodation amid prevailing economic realities.
“We cannot ignore the cries of our people who are being priced out of decent accommodation,” Guwor stated. “This Assembly is determined to bring relief through legislative action that protects both tenants and landlords while promoting fair housing policies.”
He revealed that the bill, sponsored by the House Leader, Hon. Emeka Nwaobi, alongside 27 other members, has already been listed for its first reading on the floor of the House.
The Speaker added that the Assembly would work collaboratively with stakeholders including the State Ministry of Housing, real estate developers, landlords’ associations, and civil society organisations to ensure that the proposed legislation is balanced, practical, and enforceable.
Guwor also used the occasion to highlight landmark bills, oversight activities, and strategic engagements with the executive arm of government, which he said have collectively strengthened governance and development in the state.
He disclosed that during the Second Session of the 8th Assembly, the House received a total of 16 bills — eight Executive Bills and eight Private Member’s Bills — with seven already passed and six assented to by the Governor.
The House, according to the Speaker, also considered and passed nine bills inherited from the First Session which scaled Third Reading and received the Governor’s assent, cutting across education, healthcare, security, infrastructure, youth empowerment, environmental protection, and the power sector.
He noted that in the same period under review, the Assembly entertained 72 motions, out of which 69 were approved after robust deliberations by members, reaffirming the Assembly’s focus on enacting people-centred laws.
On the Anti-Open Grazing Law, Guwor disclosed that the Deputy Speaker, who chairs the Legislative Compliance Committee, has been engaging local government council chairmen on effective implementation, while additional decisions were reached at a recent expanded Security Council meeting with the Governor.
The Speaker also called for calm over the ongoing delineation exercise in Warri Federal Constituency, urging residents, irrespective of ethnic affiliations, to embrace dialogue and unity, adding that relevant authorities were handling the matter.
Read also: Guwor reaffirms continued legislative reforms as Assembly marks its second anniversary
