THE Anambra State House of Assembly has confirmed Mr Romanus Ibekwe and 20 others, including a woman, as new transition committee chairmen. The transition committees are to manage the administration of Local Governments for three months in the first instance.
The lawmakers confirmed all the nominees at a plenary session after the nominees were screened by the relevant committees of the assembly. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Governor Chukwuma Soludo sent their names to the House of Assembly for consideration on Wednesday.
The only woman among the chairmen is Amaka Obi for Idemili South Local Government Area. Mr Chukwuma Okoye, the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, who presented the nominees, said that all of them met the requirements. He requested that the assembly should approve their nomination. Dr Somtochukwu Udeze, Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, subjected the request to members of the assembly, who unanimously voted for the approval adoption. Udeze said that the exercise was in fulfillment of Section 208 of the Local Government Law of 1999 as amended.
The speaker also announced the names of councillors who would work with the Chairmen in their various Local Government Areas. Councillors nominated for Ezi-Anam Ward and Ukpor Ward 5 in Anambra West and Nnewi South, respectively, were stepped down based on petitions against them.
Meanwhile, the Anambra Civil Society Network (ACSONET) has expressed concern at the constitution of the transition committees. Mr Chris Azor, the Coordinator of ACSONET, who reacted to the nomination and confirmation of the committees, said that the civil society desired to see democracy at the grassroots. Governor Chukwuma Soludo had, in a letter dated May 17, sacked the former transition chairmen and directed them to handover affairs of local governments to the heads of local government administration. (NAN)
