The Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday passed an emergency bill into law to jail violators Of COVID-19 lockdown in the state.
The Speaker of the House and sponsor of the bill, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, made this known during plenary on Thursday.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the state has 32, which is the highest number of coronavirus cases out of the 51 confirmed cases of the virus in Nigeria.
The speaker explained that the bill was initiated to reduce the spread of the deadly virus in the state and to further protect the residents from the virus.
Accoridng to Obasa, the bill would become a law after it had been assented by Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State.
The speaker said the bill titled “Emergency Coronavirus Pandemic Bill 2020” affords Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu the legislative concurrence to spend an initial N20 billion to effectively contain the virus and enforce compliance by Lagosians.
The bill was presented on the floor of the chamber by Noheem Adams, the Deputy Majority Leader, after which it scaled the first and second readings and was passed to the committee on health for further deliberation.
The bill was later laid before the house by Hakeem Sokunle, Chairman of the Committee on Health, after which it scaled the third reading.
The speaker said the bill gives the governor the opportunity to make recourse back to the house before any regulations.
He added that the bill also stipulates a fine of N100,000 for defaulters, one month imprisonment in the correctional centre or three months community service.
Where the offence is not spelled out, it attracts N200,000 and also allows the leadership of the various arms of government to structure their own restriction format.
Section 8 of the Bill makes provision for the coronavirus Trust Fund.
The bill further empowers the governor to declare a state of emergency of up to three months if the situation requires so.
The speaker directed the Clerk of the House, Azeez Sanni, to prepare and send a clean copy of the bill to the governor for his assent.
