With less than one day to go, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has eventually approved the extension of the local government transition administrations for the 31 local government areas in the state for another six months.
The Assembly had on December 6, 2023 approved initial six months’ tenure for the transition committees, which elapsed June 6, 2024.
It also approved another six month’s extension for the committee during the June 6, 2024 plenary, pending the conduct of elections into the local government councils in the state in October 2024.
The resolution of the House is sequel to the adoption of the report of the Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, submitted by the Committee Chairman, Mfon Idung, a member representing Etim-Ekpo/Ika State Constituency.
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A motion for the adoption of the committee’s report for further legislative action was moved by the member representing Okobo, Bassey Pius Bassey, while the member representing Uruan State Constituency, Dr Itorobong Etim, seconded it.
The House dissolved into a Committee of the Whole to consider the report, where members unanimously adopted the recommendations.
Chief Whip of the House, Effiong Johnson, representing Mbo State Constituency, moved a motion for the adoption of the report of the Committee of the Whole, while the Deputy Leader, Otobong Bob, seconded it.
Recall that Eno had sent a letter to the State House of Assembly requesting it to pass a resolution to extend the tenure of the Transition Committee in the 31 local government areas to provide Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) with sufficient time to prepare for the upcoming elections into the LG councils.
Eno had addressed his letter to the Speaker of the House Elder Udeme Otong and it was read by the Clerk of the House Mrs NsikakAbasi Orok during plenary of Thursday May, 9, 2024.
But the State Lawmakers during the plenary had mandated the Committee on Local Government & Chieftaincy Affairs to assess the Local Government transition chairmen performances first before it would grant the tenure extension as requested by the governor.
The Speaker had expressed the view that it would be necessary for the House to first carry out an inspection of the activities of the local government councils, “since there are currently no elected councilors to perform this function”
Surprisingly in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary Mr Ekerete Udoh and dated Tuesday May, 15, 2024, Governor Umo Eno aligned with the lawmakers by directing the Local government transition Chairmen to submit their scorecards
The statement which was made available to newsmen same Tuesday reads, “In his determined and avowed drive to ensure accountability and service delivery, His Excellency, Pastor Umo Eno, Governor, Akwa Ibom State, has directed all Transition Chairmen of the 31 LGAs in the State to submit their achievements in the last six months in office.
“The verifiable achievements recorded will enable effective and more robust planning for the next phase of governance.
“Their scorecard should be channeled through the Office of the Honourable Commissioner for Local and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Frank Archibong, and must reach His Excellency, the Governor, on or before May 20th, 2024”
On Tuesday, June 4, 2024, the state governor Pastor Umo Eno constituted verification teams led by commissioners to authenticate projects executed by the local government transition chairmen and their members, an action most critics view as duplication of function between the executive and the legislature arms of government.
Straightnews gathered that their reports are yet to be submitted to the governor for perusal and necessary action.
