Bill To Classify Chiefs In Rivers Passes Ist Reading

A bill seeking to classify
chiefs and recognition of chieftaincy stools, has passed through the first reading on the floor of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Presenting the bill last Monday, Hon Nname Robinson Ewor, representing Ahoada East Local Government Area, said the bill has ten parts with 40 sections.
Hon Ewor who is also the House Deputy Leader, noted that the bill deals with the classification of chiefs and recognitions of chieftaincy stools, power to recognise chiefs, chiefs to bear traditional title of his stool and condition for recognition.
Explaining the purpose of the bill, Hon Ewor said, chiefs in Rivers State shall be classified into first, second and third class chiefs, stressing that the governor shall recognise only occupants of the chieftaincy stools recognised by government as shown in the first schedule of the bill.
According to him, the chieftaincy title named in column (2) of the first schedule to this bill shall enjoy the classification set out, opposite it in column (3) as the recognised chieftaincy stool in the town or community named in the column (1) of the said schedule.
“Where the Governor is satisfied that there is an error in the first schedule to this bill or that it is right and proper to amend or modify any or all the provisions thereof, he may by order published in the gazette, ratify that error or as the case may be amend or modify such provisions, and such amendments or modification may be by way of addition, alternation or omission ’’, he said.