By Jeff Agbodo, Abakaliki
ABAKALIKI — The Ebonyi State House of Assembly has passed a bill reviewing the remuneration of local government chairmen, councillors, development centre coordinators and other political office holders in the state
The bill, which amends Schedules A and C of Law No 004 of 2008, as amended in 2015, was passed during Wednesday’s plenary at the Legislative Complex, Nkaliki Road, Abakaliki.
Under the revised Schedule A, local government chairmen will receive ₦450,000, while vice-chairmen will earn ₦400,000
Supervisors will receive ₦230,000, secretaries ₦240,000, and special assistants to chairmen ₦165,000
Under Schedule C, legislative leaders will receive ₦300,000, deputy leaders ₦250,000, while councillors will earn ₦230,000
Development Centre coordinators will receive ₦277,000, while members of management committees will earn ₦226,000
The amendment, titled Schedules A and C of Law No 004 of 2008, as amended in 2015, known as the Ebonyi State Local Government Councils and Development Centres Regulations and Remunerations for Public and Political Office Holders, was presented to the House following a letter from Governor Francis Nwifuru.
The Speaker, Rt Hon. Moses Ije Odunwa, said the proposed amendment principally concerned the remuneration schedules for various public and political office holders at the local government and development centre levels.
Leading the debate on the bill, the Leader of the House, Rt Hon. Kingsley Ikoro, said Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, empowered state Houses of Assembly to legislate on matters relating to the structure and administration of local government councils.
He said the bill was specifically focused on reviewing and amending the remuneration schedules applicable to the affected office holders
Ikoro subsequently moved a motion for the House to dissolve into a Committee of the Whole to enable members to consider and fine-tune the provisions of the bill The motion was seconded by the member representing Ezza South State Constituency, Hon. Friday Ogbuewu.
When plenary resumed, the Speaker reported the outcome of the Committee of the Whole and outlined the revised remuneration figures
Odunwa commended Governor Nwifuru for what he described as his commitment to improving the welfare of the people and strengthening grassroots administration
He also reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to working with the executive to advance the administration’s People’s Charter of Needs agenda
Ikoro later moved the motion for the passage of the amendment bill, which was seconded by the member representing Ikwo North State Constituency, Hon Ifeanyi Nwakpu.
The Speaker put the motion to a voice vote, and the bill was unanimously passed
Odunwa subsequently directed the Clerk of the House, Mrs Edene Uche Blessing, to communicate the passage of the amendment bill to Governor Nwifuru