Governor Moves To Regulate Rent, Agent Charges
Governor Moves To Regulate Rent, Agent Charges
The Ebonyi State government says it is proposing an executive bill to regulate landlord-tenant relations, rents, and fees charged by house agents in the state, following increases in house and shop rents.
Commissioner for Information and State Orientation Chief Ikeuwa Omebeh disclosed this to journalists in Abakaliki, the state capital, following the outcome of this week’s Executive Council meeting chaired by the State Governor, Rt. Hon Ogbonnaya Nwifuru.
He said that when the law comes into force, it will be illegal for any agent to collect a fee exceeding 2% of the total rent required across the state.
According to him, the measure is to ensure that all qualified and registered agents act within the law to cushion the hardship that arbitrary agent charges have imposed on the people.
“Following the state government’s earlier resolve to tame activities of house agents, which have 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 that arbitrary agent charges have meted out on the citizens.
Chief Ikeuwa Omebeh also announced the termination of a poorly executed 2km road projects across communities in the state, including those abandoned by contractors after receiving funds.
“Following EXCO’s earlier observation that most of the contractors handling the construction of the 2 km roads had either abandoned the site after receiving payments or executed a very poor job on the projects, EXCO, after an extensive deliberation, approved immediate termination of all 2 km roads not yet completed.
“Recall that the EXCO of Tuesday, 3rd February, 2026, had noticed with dismay the slow pace of works at the project sites and consequently directed committees supervising the project to move to the sites and also make recommendations for the termination of jobs that were either not seriously ongoing or poorly executed.
“The committees were also mandated to review all payment certificates and certify them before payments are made,” he said.
