A bill to regulate outdoor structures for the display of signage, hoardings, and advertisements, and for other related purposes, has been passed into law by the Benue State House of Assembly.

The bill was passed after scaling through its third reading during a plenary session presided over by the Speaker, Rt Hon. Berger Alfred Emberga.

With the passage of the bill, outdoor advertising will be regulated to ensure the environmental aesthetics of the state, while also generating revenue.

Members of the House unanimously passed the bill after dissolving into a Committee of the Whole, following the presentation of a report by the House Standing Committee on ICT and Digital Economy, chaired by Hon. Samuel Ismaila Agada of Ogbadibo State Constituency.

Presenting the committee’s report before its passage, the committee chairman said that proper implementation of the law would improve the state’s internally generated revenue.

He stated that two billion naira is the projected monthly internally generated revenue for the state if the bill is assented to by the Executive Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr Hyacinth Alia.

Hon. Agada added that, beyond revenue generation, the passage of the bill would create employment opportunities for the teeming youths of Benue State.

After considering the bill clause by clause, it was eventually passed into law by the House.

The Speaker, Rt Hon. Berger Alfred Emberga, thanked members for their diligence, thoroughness, and immense contributions during deliberations on the bill and the committee’s report, commending them for giving it accelerated consideration and timely passage into law.