Eno to Send Executive Bill to Ensure Council Chairmen Reside in their Domains
Okon Bassey in Uyo
Chairmen of local government area councils in Akwa Ibom State have been directed to henceforth live within their areas of jurisdiction for the effective delivery of their mandate.
The state Governor, Mr. Umo Eno, gave the directive when he swore in two new chairmen and vice chairmen for Nsit Ibom and Urue Offong/Oruko Local Government Areas at the Banquet Hall in the Government House, Uyo.
To ensure the council chairmen abide by the directive, the governor stated that an Executive Bill would be sent to the state House of Assembly for legislative backing on the decision.
He said living within their jurisdiction would be a prerequisite for occupying the office of a chairman of a council area in the state.
As chief security officers and champions of rural development in their respective areas, the governor argued that the council chairmen have no justification to stay farther from their people.
Eno sited his case where he relocated from Eket Local Government Area to Uyo, the state capital, on the assumption of office to enable him to function effectively in his new office.
Inaugurating the new councils’ bosses, the governor congratulated them and assured them that his administration would work with them to tackle unique and compelling issues in their respective council areas in line with the ARISE Agenda of his administration.
Mrs. Otobong Aaron and Hon. Oyosoro Oyosoro, former vice chairmen of Nsit Ibom, and Urue Offong-Oruko were sworn in as chairmen of their respective councils following the resignation of the former substantive chairmen to contest elections into the state House of Assembly, while Mr. Mbosowo David and Arit Ambit took the oath as vice chairmen of the two local government councils respectively.
He said: “As heads of your respective councils, you are expected to lead in our determined effort to bring development to our rural areas.
“I expect that as local government chairmen, you should begin to live in your local government areas because we are going towards a point where chairmen function more effectively by residing in their council areas.
“I will soon present a bill to the House of Assembly to enact and enforce it to ensure that people who must lead our local government areas must live in their respective areas.
“So if you are willing to contest as a local government chairman, and if you know you will not live in your Local government, please don’t do so.”
Eno added: “This administration, in line with the core values and vision, as encapsulated in our ARISE Agenda, is determined to transform and deepen growth and development in our rural areas as a strategic way of curbing rural-urban migration.”
Governor Eno invited the guests at the inauguration to the first ever ‘Akwa Ibom Dialogue’ scheduled for July 24 to 27 at the Ibom Icon Hotels and Golf Resort.
Speaking with journalists after the swearing-in, the Chairman of Urue Offong-Oruko LGA, Hon. Oyosoro Okon Oyosoro, expressed appreciation to the governor and his people for the opportunity given to him to serve as the substantive chairman, describing the governor’s position on chairmen residing within their constituencies as apt, and affirmed his readiness to comply with the decision.
Also, the Vice Chairman of Nsit Ibom LGA, Mr. Mbosowo David, thanked the governor and his people for the opportunity, promising to ensure a friction-free liaison with the council chairman to ensure that the people receive optimum service delivery.
