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 and councillors ₦230,000.
Development Centre Coordinators will earn ₦277,000, while Management Committee members will receive ₦226,000.
The amended law is known as the Ebonyi State Local Government Councils and Development Centres Regulations and Remunerations for Public and Political Office Holders.
The bill was considered following a letter from Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, presented to the House by Speaker Moses Ije Odunwa.
Odunwa said the proposed amendment principally affected the remuneration schedules for public and political office holders at the local government and development centre levels.
Leading the debate, the Leader of the House, Kingsley Ikoro, said Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, empowers state Houses of Assembly to legislate on matters relating to the structure and administration of local government councils.
He said the bill was specifically aimed at reviewing the remuneration of the affected office holders.
Ikoro subsequently moved a motion for the House to dissolve into a Committee of the Whole to consider and fine-tune the provisions of the bill. The motion was seconded by the member representing Ezza South State Constituency, Friday Ogbuewu.
After the Committee of the Whole concluded its consideration, the Speaker presented the revised remuneration figures to the House.
Odunwa commended Governor Nwifuru for what he described as his commitment to improving the welfare of residents and strengthening grassroots administration.
He also reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to working with the executive in advancing the administration’s People’s Charter of Needs agenda.
Ikoro later moved a motion for the passage of the amendment bill. The motion was seconded by the member representing Ikwo North State Constituency, Ifeanyi Nwakpu.
The bill was subsequently passed unanimously through a voice vote.
The Speaker directed the Clerk of the House, Mrs Edene Uche Blessing, to communicate the passage of the amendment bill to the governor.
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