…lawmakers pass LG amendment bill
Odahiekwu Ogunde, Yenagoa
Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has forwarded two more names as commissioner-nominees to the Bayelsa State House of Assembly for screening/confirmation.
The two commissioner-nominees are Mr Keme Wariebi and Erasmus Patrick.
The governor also sent three other names as nominees for the state’s Local Government Service Commission. They are Mr Lambert Ototo (Chairman), Odudu Awipi (member) and Cleopas Carter (member).
The nominees are expected to appear before the House with 30 photocopies each of all relevant credentials for reference on Tuesday, September 8, 2020 for screening and confirmation.
Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State House of Assembly on Wednesday passed the Local Government Amendment Bill.
Opening the debate in favour of the bill, the Deputy Leader, Bernard Kenebai, argued that change was the only constant thing in life and that there was the need to amend the extant law to conform with the realities of today.
He remarked that since the only amendment sought was adjusting the membership of the LGSC from seven to eight members, excluding the Chairman, it was a simple and uncomplicated proposal.
In his contribution, Mitema Obodor said the amendment sought was a simple one and would create the opportunity for the best candidate to become the Chairman of the board.
Also speaking in favour of the bill, Tare Porri said the amendment sought more people to be engaged in government, stressing that the state was due to have its own state character/content law to address the issue of equity and fairness to all the local government areas of the state.
Giving their dissenting views, Omubo Ayonatininyo and Douglas Sampson-Awudulu said increasing the membership of the commission would add to the financial burden of the state and equally give undue advantage to the LGA that will produce the Chairman of the board.
In a related development, the House took the first reading of the Water Sector Bill 2020.