State Assembly passes 2 bills

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the House passed the bills after the Speaker, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, conducted voice votes on the two bills.

The Speaker then directed the Clerk of the House, Mr Azeez Sanni, to forward clean copies of the bills to Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode, for his assent.

The first bill is titled: A Bill for a Law to Provide for the Consolidation of Property and Land Based Charges and Make Provisions for the Levying and Collection of Land Use Charge in Lagos State and for Connected Purposes.

The 27-section bill harmonised Land Rates Law, Neighbourhood Improvement Charge Law and Tenement Rates Law.

NAN reports that the bill, if passed into law, will end all other rates on land except the Land Use Charge.

The bill reads in part: “As from the commencement of the law, the annual amount of the Land Use Charge payable for any Property shall be arrived at by multiplying the market value of the property by the applicable relief rate and annual charge rate, using the prescribed formulae.

“The land value and building value rates constituting the market value of the property shall be reviewed at least once every five years on the basis of information available to professional valuers, and may vary from area to area."

The bill added that Land Use Charge shall be payable in respect of property that is not exempted under Section 12 of the law.

Some of the properties exempted from the law include property owned and occupied by a religious body and used exclusively as a place of worship or religious education.

Also exempted are public cemeteries and burial grounds as well as property used as a registered educational institution certified by the commissioner to be non-profit making.

In addition, the law exempts any property specifically exempted by the Executive Governor by notice published in the State Official Gazette and all palaces of recognised Obas and Chiefs in the state.

However, the law made it clear that an exempted property shall become liable for Land Use Charge if the use of such property changes to one that does not qualify for exemption.

The bill on electricity is entitled: “A law to improve electricity supply, power generation, distribution and evacuation through an embedded power scheme in Lagos State and the enforcement of consumer rights and obligation and for connected purposes would lead to constant supply of power”.

The 78-section bill would provide for the development and management of sustainable power supply in the state.

The bill would also facilitate the development and management of electricity infrastructure and facilities within the state.

It will equally promote and support the provision of an efficient and effective power generation and evacuation infrastructure in the state.

The proposed law will ensure the availability of a cost effective electric supply.

The objectives of the bill reads in part: “To ensure collaboration with the Federal and state energy and electric power related agencies to promote and support investment in electric power projects within the state.

“To ensure that the state has constant electric power generation and distribution.

“To develop and facilitate an enabling environment for embedded power sector investment in the state’’.

It ensures the protection of electric power generation, evacuation infrastructure and prescribes appropriate sanctions.