The Ebonyi State Government has commenced plans to regulate landlord and tenant rents, and fees charged by estate agents.
The Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Barr. Ikeuwa Omabe, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing journalists on the outcome of the Executive Council meeting held on Tuesday.
According to Omebe, with this law, it will be illegal for any agent to collect a fee exceeding 2% of the total percentage of the required rent across the state.
He said, “Following the state government’s earlier resolve to tame activities of house agents, which has invariably led to exorbitant house rents, particularly in the state capital, EXCO proposes an Executive Council Bill to regulate landlord and tenant rents and fees charged by house agents in the State.
“With this law, it will be illegal for any Agent to collect a fee exceeding 2% of the total percentage of the required rent across the state.
“This is to ensure that all qualified and registered agents act within the law to cushion the hardship arbitrary agent charges have meted on the citizens.
Omebe also disclosed that the Executive Council also proposes a bill to regulate the sale of metal and electrical scraps to avoid vandalism, environmental degradation and the promotion of public safety.
“In the same vein, EXCO proposes an EXCO bill tagged a BILL FOR A LAW to regulate the sale of metal and electrical scraps in Ebonyi State and other related matters.
“The bill when churned into law is expected to regulate the buying, selling, possession, transportation and disposal of metal and electrical scraps in Ebonyi State. This is to avoid vandalism, environmental degradation and promotion of public safety and for related matters.
However, as the farming season approaches, Omebe noted that the executive council had approved N500,000,000 for the procurement of 250 Agricultural Power Tiller Machines for strategic distribution to farmers across the state.
“As a deliberate intervention to consolidate the present administration’s agricultural agenda and to deepen mechanisation and enhance productivity among smallholder and medium-scale farmers who constitute the backbone of the food system, EXCO approved N500,000,000 for the procurement of 250 Agricultural Power Tiller Machines for strategic distribution to farmers across the state, ahead of the 2026 farming season.
“By this intervention, the government hopes to significantly enhance mechanisation, increase productivity, and reduce farming drudgery. The initiative is also expected to empower farmers, create employment opportunities, and encourage youth participation in Agriculture.
“Each piece of equipment, by its unit calculation, is expected to cost two million naira (N2,000,000) only.”
Speaking on the Progress Report of the 22 Model Secondary Schools, Omebe said, “EXCO, after an exhaustive deliberation on the Progress Report on the completion of selected schools for upgrade to Modern Schools, approved that with effect from Wednesday, March 4, 2026, any contractor that had received money for the 22 model Secondary Schools but has not reached parapets level should be arrested forthwith until the money is recovered.
On the alternative energy, Omabe said “On the offer by the Chinese Municipal Council to construct Waste-to-Energy and Solar-to-Energy projects in the state in partnership with Chegfa Environment Co. Ltd, and their Nigerian counterpart, Cheer Power Vehicle Manufacturing Co. Ltd, in the form of Build, Operate, and Donate (BOD), EXCO approved and accepted to host the investors at a most convenient date and also approved the provision of space at the Industrial City, Ezzamgbo for the establishment of the project.