Ebonyi Assembly reviews salaries of council officials

n n

By Jeff Agbodo, Abakaliki

n

ABAKALIKI — The Ebonyi State House of Assembly has passed a bill reviewing the remuneration of local government chairmen, councillors, development centre coordinators and other political office holders in the state.

n

The bill, which amends Schedules A and C of Law No. 004 of 2008, as amended in 2015, was passed during Wednesday’s plenary at the Legislative Complex, Nkaliki Road, Abakaliki.

n

Under the revised Schedule A, local government chairmen will receive ₦450,000, while vice chairmen will earn ₦400,000. Supervisors will receive ₦230,000, secretaries ₦240,000 and special assistants to chairmen ₦165,000.

n

Under Schedule C, legislative leaders will receive ₦300,000, deputy leaders ₦250,000 and councillors ₦230,000.

n

Development Centre Coordinators will earn ₦277,000, while Management Committee members will receive ₦226,000.

n

The amended law is known as the Ebonyi State Local Government Councils and Development Centres Regulations and Remunerations for Public and Political Office Holders.

n

The bill was considered following a letter from Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, presented to the House by Speaker Moses Ije Odunwa.

n

Odunwa said the proposed amendment principally affected the remuneration schedules for public and political office holders at the local government and development centre levels.

n

Leading the debate, the Leader of the House, Kingsley Ikoro, said Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, empowers state Houses of Assembly to legislate on matters relating to the structure and administration of local government councils.

n

He said the bill was specifically aimed at reviewing the remuneration of the affected office holders.

n

Ikoro subsequently moved a motion for the House to dissolve into a Committee of the Whole to consider and fine-tune the provisions of the bill. The motion was seconded by the member representing Ezza South State Constituency, Friday Ogbuewu.

n

After the Committee of the Whole concluded its consideration, the Speaker presented the revised remuneration figures to the House.

n

Odunwa commended Governor Nwifuru for what he described as his commitment to improving the welfare of residents and strengthening grassroots administration.

n

He also reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to working with the executive in advancing the administration’s People’s Charter of Needs agenda.

n

Ikoro later moved a motion for the passage of the amendment bill. The motion was seconded by the member representing Ikwo North State Constituency, Ifeanyi Nwakpu.

n

The bill was subsequently passed unanimously through a voice vote.

n

The Speaker directed the Clerk of the House, Mrs Edene Uche Blessing, to communicate the passage of the amendment bill to the governor.

n n