ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, YENAGOA
Plans are afoot by the Bayelsa State Government to review its Chieftaincy and Community Administration Law to enable traditional rulers to contribute more effectively towards good governance and community development.
The state Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, made this known during a meeting with traditional rulers from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.
He said the review had become necessary in order to promote peace and development in the various communities against the backdrop of frequent kingship tussles that had snowballed into communal clashes.
The statement on Wednesday by his media aide, Mr Doubara Atasi, quoted Ewhrudjakpo as saying that the existing CCA law had certain lapses that needed to be addressed.
Ewhrudjakpo assured the people of Southern Ijaw and other communities in the state that government was concerned about their welfare and would stop at nothing to ensure that they got what was due them both from government and companies operating in their areas.
He called on traditional rulers to identify basic social amenities needed in their areas and furnish his office with same for government to take necessary action within the limits of available resources.
He stressed the need for communities to involve government in the preparation and signing of Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMOUs) with companies operating in their areas to avoid the problems usually associated with the implementation of such agreements.
Ewhrudjakpo frowned on the situation whereby GMOUs are signed without government’s involvement but brought to the attention of the state government only when conflicts arise.
The Deputy Governor also urged traditional rulers to provide registers for visitors to enter their identity and purpose of visit to any community for easy monitoring.
He noted that the prosperity agenda of the Douye Diri administration would be impactful only when there is peace and security, and therefore called for cooperation between government and traditional rulers to enhance security in the state.
Ewhrudjakpo promised to make the meeting with the traditional rulers on a local government by local government basis more regular to cross-fertilize ideas on peaceful coexistence and community development.
He said: “To promote development and peace at the community level, we have resolved to review the existing Chieftaincy and Community Administration Law to address some of the lapses we have observed.
“So, we will need inuts from the traditional rulers and other stakeholders for the amendment of this Law. For now, as part of our security measures, every community should have a visitor’s register to monitor the movement of people to and from the communities.”
In his remarks, Secretary to the State Government, Konbowei Benson, lauded traditional rulers for their support and urged them to continually cooperate with government for better service delivery.