The Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Mr. John Gaul-Lebo, has said the state’s laws are outdated and will soon be reviewed to meet current realities.
He added that the law still has provision for payment of fines in pounds and shillings.
The Speaker said this in Calabar, on Saturday, while speaking on the legislative agenda of the 8th Assembly.
He said the laws of the state were last reviewed in 2004 “and till date, they are still in six volumes when it ought to have been in 22 volumes.”
Gaul-Lebo added, “The laws were last reviewed in 2004 and for 12 years, the laws have not been reviewed. Between 2004 and now, about 120 laws have been enacted but they are still not enough. The laws of Cross River State only have six volumes but it should be in 22 volumes.”
According to Lebo, some of the laws were enacted as far back as 1976 by the military government and still have provisions for pound sterling and shillings, a situation he described as embarrassing to the state.
The Speaker said, “Some of the laws in Cross River State still have penalties in pound sterling; others still have provision for 50 shillings. The offence of kidnapping is one year, six months in the first instance, and when you kidnap the second time, you get three years. And you know in the consolidated counting procedure in prison terms, day and night are calculated as different days.
“The reason why you find many kidnappers running into the state is because kidnapping is an offence that you can get bail for. They can grant you bail immediately, even on self- recognition as a kidnapper. These laws were passed as far back as 1976, so that law was a military law and we think it is an embarrassment.”
He observed that many states in the federation had since reviewed their laws to meet current challenges and to reposition their states for better governance, arguing that Cross River State cannot afford to be left behind.
To do this, the Speaker said the House would assist in repositioning the Law Reform Commission in the state to live up to its expectations and review those laws that would enhance development and create a peaceful atmosphere in the state.
“The House will take charge of the process to ensure that the Law Reform Commission is reformed to the point where the laws are reviewed. Now, the process of law review will begin outside of the House but will end up in the House of Assembly. So we don’t want the laws to be reviewed with an old template. That is not in accordance with our legislative template,” Gaul-Lebo added.
The Speaker also revealed that the House was in the process of establishing the State Legislative Institute to build the capacity of members of the Assembly and councillors in the state.
