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AKHA withdraws bill aimed at compelling local council chairmen to live in their LGAs
• Udeme Otong, Speaker AKHA
A bill for a law to compel chairmen of local government councils in Akwa Ibom State to reside in their local government areas during their tenure of office, and for other connected purposes, was withdrawn indefinitely on Tuesday by the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.
Speaker of the Assembly, Udeme Otong, announced withdrawal of the bill at plenary following a motion moved by the Deputy Leader of the Assembly, Otobong Bob. The motion was seconded by Effiong Johnson, the Chief Whip.
Although Bob, who was lead sponsor, did not state reasons for the withdrawal of the bill which had been listed for second reading in the order paper, he told assembly correspondents shortly after plenary that the Executive communicated its decision to stop further legislative action on the bill.
The issue of the residence status of local government chairmen in Akwa Ibom State has remained a popular discourse within the political firmament. There are 31 local government areas in Akwa Ibom State, Apart from the Chairman of Uyo local government area who resides in his domain, which is the state’s capital, chairmen of the other 30 local government areas are known to reside within the state capital.
“On that particular issue, the Executive communicated to us that they don’t intend to go forward with that particular bill, so that’s why we withdrew it. It’s not a private-member bil, its an executive bill”, Bob said.
Order 7 rule 11 of the House Standing Orders states that, “A member in-charge of a bill may move a motion without notice for its withdrawal either before commencement of public business or on the order of the day for any stage of the bill being read”.
Three other Executive Bills scaled second reading at plenary. They are; “A bill for a law to make Special Provisions for Statutory Boards in Akwa Ibom State, and for connected purposes; a bill for a law to establish the Akwa Ibom State Bureau of Statistics and Akwa Ibom State Statistical System and for other matters connected therewith, as well as a bill for a law to establish Ibom Peace Corps and for connected purposes.
The bill on statutory boards seeks to enact a law that would convey some corporate status on the boards of commissions, agencies, corporations, and other bodies established by laws of the state, among others, and the Bureau of Statistics bill seeks to establish a bureau that would serve as the main state agency responsible for the development and management of official statistics; while the Peace Corps bill seeks to establish a body that would complement the job security agencies in the State.
Speaker of the House, Udeme Otong, referred the bills to relevant House committees for further legislative action.
Meanwhile, the House has called on the Akwa Ibom State Government to intervene on the dilapidated academic infrastructure at Unity High School, Mbiabong Ukan, in Ikono local government area.
The Speaker, Udeme Otong, made the call following a motion raised by the Member representing Ikono State Constituency, Rt. Hon. Asuquo Nana Udo.
Otong directed the Clerk, Mrs Nsikak-Abasi Orok, to communicate to the Governor, intimating him on the poor state of infrastructure at the school which serves several communities around Mbiabong Ukan for intervention in the interest of the students.
The House opined that there was need to expedite action on the reconstruction of the educational facility to serve better the students who would be returning from the long vacation.
Earlier in his motion, the Ikono lawmaker noted that the school was established by the Akwa Ibom State Government to serve the rural populace and with the educational strides of the present administration, it would be necessary for the Government to look into its poor condition for the academic wellbeing of students.
“This School being an establishment of the Akwa Ibom State Government is a rural school serving several communities around Mbiabong Ukan in Ikono LGA and presently in a shadow of itself is in need of an urgent attention”, Udo stated.
Also at plenary, the member representing Urue Offong/Oruko state constituency, Precious Selong, moved a motion which highlighted the alarming infrastructural decay at the General Hospital, Oruko.
The lawmakers debated on the need for the state government through the Houspital Management Board to expedite action on the immediate rehabilitation of the hospital in line the ARISE AGENDA of the present administration.
The motion was committed to the House Committee on Health for further legislative action.
In the same vein, the member representing Oron/Udung Uko state constituency, Mrs Kenim Onofiok, raised a motion on the need for targeted investment by the Akwa Ibom State Government in technical and vocational education.
The House however directed the Committee on Education to look into the matter for appropriate legislative action.
Plenary was adjourned to Thursday, September 14, 2023.
