***Provides 6-month tenure for Transition Committees
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.
Kogi State House of Assembly has repealed and reenacted the state Local Government Law, 2000, to provide for a six-month tenure for Transition Committees to oversee the Local Government Councils.
The repeal and reenactment of the law at plenary on Wednesday in Lokoja, followed the passage of an Executive Bill calling for the repeal and reenactment.
The passage was sequel to the clause-by-clause consideration of the bill by the Legislators at the Committee of Whole.
In the preamble to the Executive Bill for a Law to Repeal the 2000 Local Government Law, the purpose was given as to fill the vacuum created in the Local Governments following the dissolution of the 21 Council Areas.
Part of the purpose is also to ward off insecurity and stem likely breakdown of law and order in the Local Government Areas as a result of the vacuum.
The reenacted law provides the State Government legal backup and the power to appoint Transistion Committees with a six-month tenure where election into Local Government Councils is delayed for one reason or the other.
The reenacted law also provides that the provision for Transition Committee which is subject to the approval of the House, leaves room for extension of the tenure of the Transition Committee Chairman after the first six months.
The Transition Committee, according to the new Law, shall consists of seven members including the House of Assembly member representing the particular state constituency.
The reenacted Law also stipulated that the Transition Committee(s) shall accordingly take care of the period when there is no election whereas, an Elected Council Chairman shall spend two years in office.
Earlier, Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Suleiman Abdulrasaq (APC-Okene I) in his Lead Debate explained and gave reasons for the new changes in the law.
Hon. Abu Jibrin (APC-Ajaokuta), explained that the repeal and reenactment of the Local Government Law by the State Assembly was not done in isolation as Taraba, Sokoto and Adamawa states recently did same.
Explaining that any decision on tenureship by Houses of Assembly on the Local Government is upheld by the Industrial Court, Hon. Jibrin said he was in support of the bill.
Speaker of the House, Rt Hon. Aliyu Umar Yusuf pronounced the passage after the third and final reading following overwhelming voice votes of members in its favour. (Ends)