Despite Autonomy Policy, C’River Assembly Dictates To LG Chairmen On Appointments
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The Cross River State House of Assembly may just be on the path to making nonsense of the much touted autonomy for local governments in the country, as it has initiated the process for the amendment of the state local government law to force their will on the elected council chairmen.

The local government law was first enacted in 2007 during the regime of Donald Duke as governor of the state. Part of the main features of the law is the donation of powers of the local government chairmen to the state government on the control of how their federal allocation should be spent.
From the days of Duke till date, even after the Supreme Court had ruled that local governments are autonomous, the state government, like many others in the country, is still believed to be controlling the local government funds, relying on the local government law.
But in Cross River, a new dimension is being introduced. The house of assembly wants to amend the law to compel all the 18 local government chairmen to appoint personal aides not above 50, which is seen by many to be against the spirit and letters of the Supreme Court judgement on autonomy for the local government.
Dr Davis Etta who represents the Abi State Constituency in the assembly is sponsoring an amendment to this effect: “The chairman of council may appoint such number of special advisers to assist him in the discharge of his duties, provided that appointments, when added to other statutory appointments, shall not exceed a total number of 50.”
Also, if the amendment goes through, the chairmen will all be compelled to appoint what Etta calls ward relations officers, whether the chairmen like it or not.
The ward relation officers will be expected to hold ranks equivalent to special advisers and will report directly to the chairman of the respective local government councils. This initiative aims to enhance grassroots engagement and governance at the ward level, according to the sponsor of the amendments.
The other aspect of Etta’s proposed amendments is that heads of local governments administration should be elevated to the status of a permanent secretary in the state public service. HOLGAs will enjoy all rights, privileges, and entitlements associated with Permanent Secretaries, including pensions.
“The office of the HOLGA shall be equivalent to the Office of a Permanent Secretary of the State Public Service and shall enjoy all rights and privileges of the Permanent Secretary, including pensions,” Mathew Okache, aide to the speaker said in a statement.