Speaker Warns LGs Against Illegal Levies, Taskforce

Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon.
Otelemaba Amachree, has warned local government councils to stop collection of
illegal levies and creation of unnecessary taskforce that block major roads in
the state.

Hon. Amachree, who stated this Thursday in Port Harcourt at
the opening of A3-Day Workshop for key administrators of local government
councils in the state, said some of the activities of the councils are inimical
to government and put the state in bad light before the general business
community and visitors alike.

The Speaker cautioned the councils to desist from performing
functions not contained in any of the instruments in the local government law
2012, to avoid breach or acting ultra vires, adding that despite justification
for the establishment of councils and its inevitable importance to the people
at the grassroot, their activities leaves much to be desired.

The Chairman of the programme, Hon. Chidi Lloyd, said the
choice of the theme: “conducting Local Government Council Business in
accordance with the law”, was not by accident, but borne out of years of
oversight functions of the State Assembly in the councils.

Hon. Lloyd opined that if councils operate in accordance
with the law, problems will be minimised and efficient services would be
rendered to the people at the grassroot, through the promotion of synergy and
collaboration between the different areas of government and the bureaucracy in
the conduct of council affairs.

He explained that following lapses in the activities of the councils, the Assembly enacted the local government law No. 2, 2012 with innovations and provisions that could tackle some of the problems, such problems include making it mandatory for supervisors to be appointed in the councils not later than 60 days from the date of inauguration of the council.

Declaring the workshop open, the State Governor, Rt. Hon.
Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, commended the Assembly for the initiative, which is
first of its kind, saying that the process will enable the operators of the
council know what the law stipulates concerning them.

The governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Engr. Tele
Ikuru, urged the participants to appreciate the importance of the workshop to
enable them change the face of local government administration in the state.

The State Chief Executive also identified over staffing as
one of the challenges confronting local government areas and suggested that
National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and council Chairmen
should hold meaningful discussions concerning over employment of staff, adding
that many workers collect salaries without working.