Nasarawa Assembly approves three years tenure for elected local council officials

The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has passed the Local Government Bill 2018 which approved three years tenure for elected local government officials to strengthen democracy at the grassroots. Ibrahim Abdullahi, Speaker of the Assembly, announced passage of the bill for a law to provide for the Establishment, Structure, Composition, Finance and Function of Local Government System in Nasarawa State, 2018. The speaker announced passage of the bill after the majority leader of the Assembly, Tanko Tunga (APC-Awe North), moved a motion for passage of the bill during plenary in Lafia on Wednesday. Mr Abdullahi said that approving three years tenure for elected local government officials would deepen democracy and bring the much needed development to the grassroots. “The executive bill seeks to amend the Nasarawa State Local Government Law 2009, which deals with establishment, structure, finances and composition of local government system in Nasarawa state. “No doubt, the bill was brought basically to strengthen and deepen democracy at the local government levels in Nasarawa State and to meet the current political and economic challenges. “Today, the House has approved three years tenure for elected local government officials and there should be overseers to run the affairs of the Development Areas in the state in which their tenure is also for three years. “The overseers of Development Areas shall be appointed by the governor, subject to confirmation of House of Assembly of the state and their tenure may be extended or reconstituted by the governor upon confirmation of the House of Assembly,” he said. The speaker said that the law also makes provision that the clerk and deputy clerk to be appointed from the service of local government, shall not be below grade level 12 and 10 respectively. Earlier, Tanko Tunga, the Majority Leader of the Assembly, moved a motion for the passage of the bill while the Minority Leader, Peter Mbucho, seconded the motion before it was unanimously passed by the lawmakers. The speaker directed the clerk of the Assembly to produce a clean copy of the bill for governor’s assent. NAN reports that the Nasarawa State Local Government Law 2009 made provision for only two years tenure for elected local government officials. NAN also reports that the state Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) has slated May 26 for the conduct of the local government election in the state.]]>