The Abia State House of Assembly has urged state government to implement without further delay Section 126 (2) of Abia State Local Government Law (Amendment No. 4) of 2015 which provides that 5% from each of the Local Government Council’s Allocation be deducted and given to the Traditional Ruler’s Council of each of the 17 Local Governments of the state.
The House, during its plenary, passed the resolution through a motion brought to the floor of the House by Hon Emeka Okoroafor (APC Isuikwuato). The Abia assembly explained that the compliance to this law will enable Councils to discharge of their functions including security in their respective domains.
Speaking at the plenary, Hon Okoroafor said Section 126 (2) of Abia State Local Government Law (Amendment No. 4) of 2015 provides for the deduction of 5% from each Local Government Council’s Allocation for onward transmission to the Traditional Rulers Council in each of the LGAs so that they can operate effectively in addition to discharging of their responsibilities well.
His word, “The welfare and the security of the people are the primary responsibilities of every government including the local government authorities. Security challenges such as kidnapping, banditry and farmers-herders conflicts in our various local government areas and communities are in the increase.
“The issue of security in the rural areas is a shared responsibility between the Traditional Institution, community vigilante groups and the conventional security agencies”.
The lawmaker stated that the 5% provided for in the aforementioned Local Government Law was for the effective discharge of this shared responsibility by the Traditional Rulers as the chief security officers of their respective communities among other things, adding that the non compliance to this laws makes it appear that the Traditional Rulers has failed in the discharge of this important responsibility.
“The Council Chairmen and Commissioner for Local Government & Chieftaincy Affairs in 17 LGAs should be invited to interface with the House with a view to ensuring the implementation of the said Section 126 (2) of the Local Government (Amendment No 4 ) Law of 2015”, he requested.
However, after contributions to the matter by the lawmakers, the Speaker, Rt Hon Chinedum Orji, said he was worried that the law which he said he had particular interest in and already passed by the Abia House of Assembly has not been implemented.
He therefore directed the Clerk of the House to invite Hon Ibe Nwoke, the Abia State Chairman of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) to appear before the Honourable Members in their Executive session to explain to why a Law passed by the House and assented to by the Governor was being being implemented.
The House also resolved and mandated the Executive Chairmen of Local Government Areas in the State to subsequently make necessary deductions during their JAAC for the purposes of giving the Traditional Rulers their constitutional percentage so they could help tackle insecurity in their areas.
Uche Nwosu is a two time Shell Petroleum PLC award winner in the year 2000;
He won the Shell Award on Investigative Journalism and Environmental Cleanliness.
