Judex Okoro, Calabar
The Cross River House of Assembly has approved the regulation of the State Lottery Board as well as Scrap Regulatory Agency.
The House adopted the resolution following the report of the Committee on Finance and Appropriation presented at a plenary session by the Chairman, Hon Sunday Achunekang.
Presenting the report, Achunekang, representing Obanliku State Constituency, said the committee had earlier received a request from the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Asuquo Ekpenyong Jnr, asking for approval of regulation in line with provisions of some legislation including the State Lottery Board Law 2017 and the Scrap Regulatory Agency Law 2017.
He added that his committee reviewed the provision of the extant legislations on whose pivot the regulation was proposed.
Achunekang further said different electronic-based games, online games, betting shops and all sorts of digitally controlled and GSM games and betting sites exist in Cross River State, adding that these proposed regulations are needed to control and monitor the sector to enable government generate revenue.
The lawmakers, after lengthy deliberations on the report, adopted the committee’s recommendation in a motion moved by House Leader, Rt Hon Peter Odey, and seconded by the Deputy Leader, Rt Hon Fred Osim.
The Speaker of the House, Rt Hon William Eteng, directed the Clerk of the House to send a clean copy to the executive arm for implementation.