The member representing Ekeremor Constituency 1 in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon (Barr) Tare Porri, on Tuesday raised a motion calling for urgent regulation of the alarming rise in house rents and agency fees across Yenagoa and other urban areas in the state.
Moving the motion titled "The Need to Regulate the Excessive Increase in House Rent and Agency Fees in Yenagoa and Other Urban Centres in Bayelsa State," Hon Porri said the steady surge in accommodation costs had become unbearable for ordinary residents, especially civil servants and low-income earners.
He lamented that a one-bedroom apartment which previously cost between N120,000 and N200,000 per annum now goes for between N800,000 and N1.5 million, describing the trend as "economically unsustainable and socially dangerous."
According to him, "The average civil servant in Bayelsa earns about N118,000 monthly, yet many now face eviction and homelessness due to arbitrary rent increases and exploitative agency practices."
Porri also criticised the practice where tenants are forced to pay agency and legal fees that should rightly be borne by property owners.
He warned that failure to act could trigger social unrest and insecurity as many residents continue to struggle under harsh economic realities.
To address the crisis, he called for the immediate enactment of a Rent Control and Tenancy Regulation Law to regulate and stabilise rent charges in Yenagoa and other urban centres, transfer agency and legal fee responsibilities to property owners, and establish a Rent Control and Housing Regulation Committee to enforce compliance and mediate landlord-tenant disputes.
The motion, which resonated with lawmakers across party lines, was seconded by Hon (Dr) Daniel Charles, representing Brass Constituency 2, and received unanimous support on the floor of the House.
Following deliberations, the Assembly resolved to urge the Ministry of Lands and Housing and other relevant agencies to embark on public sensitisation and implement measures to check the incessant rise in rent and agent fees.
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