Mpigi Makes Case For Monarchs In Governance

The Senator representing the Rivers South East District in the National Assembly, Senator Barry Mpigi has said that he would sponsor a bill in the National Assembly that would define the roles of traditional rulers in governance.
Mpigi stated this during a meeting between members of Tai Legislative Assembly and traditional rulers from Tai Local Government Area in Rivers State.
He explained that monarchs play a key role in society and that there should be a proper legislation that will make them function effectively; even as he called for synergy between the legislative arm of government and the traditional institution for the sake of peace and development at the grassroots.
“We are looking at the necessary laws on the ground. Looking at the local content, provide the community continue to abide by what the local content law says. Tai is a unit and both the councilors and the traditional rulers are from one bunch and there is no way we can separate them at every point in time.
“Members of the representative assembly are coming from the traditional institutions. We will continue to work together to ensure that development gets to not only Tai Local Government Area, but all the nook and crannies of the Rivers South East Senatorial district,” he stated.
On his part, spokesman of the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, Samuel Nne said the legislative arm of government, especially at the local government area should consult the monarchs before enacting any law.
According to him, We had a meeting courtesy Senator Barry Mpigi over the issues we had with our councilors in Tai Local Government Area and we are happy that it has been sorted out.
“We have agreed to work together. They are our children, we owe them the duty to give them support and we have told them that consultations are necessary. There should be interactions between the council and traditional rulers,”Nne said.

Dennis Naku