AKHA Passes LG Admin Amendment Bill

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly (AKHA) has passed a bill to amend some sections of the Local Government Administration Law to ensure effective management of the local government system.

Presenting a bill on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, to amend the existing Local Government Administration Law, Member representing Etim Ekpo/Ika State Constituency, Rt. Hon. Mfon Idung, informed the House that the amendment was based on the creation of extra Wards by the Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) from 329 to 368.

Rt. Hon. Idung, who is the Chairman House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, noted that the amendments that affected Sections 49 and 52 would create room for harmony, carry along all political wards, and also ensure the reign of peace in the administration of the local government system.

For Section 49, the amendment read, “Subject to approval by the Legislative Council, the Chairman shall appoint from outside the legislative council such number of supervisors not less than three and not more than eleven to head the departments as may be created by him.

While the amendment for Section 52 read, “The number of such advisers, one of whom shall be a legal practitioner in charge of legal matters, shall not exceed five.”

Speaking in support of the amendment, the member representing Mkpat Enin, Hon. Aniefiok Imoh-Ita, and the member representing Mbo, Rt. Hon. Effiong Johnson, noted that the amendments, when passed, will increase appointments as well as ensure harmony and smooth running of the local government administration.

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The House was later dissolved into the Committee of the Whole, where the Speaker, Rt. Hon. (Early) Udeme Otong, served as the Chairman to consider and adopt the amendments.

The motion to read the bill for the third time and pass was moved by the Deputy Leader, Rt. Hon. Otobong Bob, and was seconded by the member representing Esit Eket State Constituency, Hon. Udobia Friday Udo.

The Speaker directed the Clerk of the Assembly, Mrs. NsikakAbasi Orok, to communicate the amended bill to the Executive for necessary action.

In a related development, the House also read for the first time, “A Bill for a Law to provide for the establishment of the Akwa Ibom State University of Education, Afaha Nsit and to make provisions for its administration and for other purposes connected thereto, sponsored by Hon. Nsidibe Akata and thirteen others.

Also, “A Bill for a Law to Provide for the Peaceful and Orderly Transfer of Executive Powers from one democratically elected Governor to another and other matters connected therewith, sponsored by Hon. Moses Essien of Ibiono Ibom State Constituency and ten others,” was read the first time.

The Speaker, Rt. Hon. (Elder) Udeme Otong, referred the two bills to the House Committee on Rules, Business, and Ethics for rescheduling.

The House, after deliberations, adjourned Plenary to reconvene on Tuesday, October 29, 2024.