PLATEAU ASSEMBLY APPROVES REDUCTION IN TENURE OF COUNCIL OFFICIALS
Read Time:1 Minute, 18 Second
The Plateau House of Assembly has authorised a reduction in elected local government officials’ tenure from three to two years.
This adjustment is consistent with the modified Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) Law of 2024.
Speaking to reporters in Jos, Matthew Kwarpo, Chairman of the House Committee on Information, said the decision was motivated by the recent budgetary autonomy granted to local governments across the country.
The change was introduced following a thorough study of a bill proposed by Joseph Gokum (APC/Kanke Constituency) to update the 2017 Local Government Councils Law.
“The specific clause amended relates to the tenure of elected local government officials,” Kwarpo stated.
“Previously, chairmen, deputy chairmen, and councillors were expected to serve for three years. The amendment now limits their tenure to two years,” he said.
Kwarpo further explained that the decision to reduce the tenure was to allow for a more cautious implementation of the newly granted financial autonomy.
“It’s wise to start with a shorter tenure of two years to observe how the financial autonomy impacts local governance.
“Extending the tenure to four years in a pilot scheme with potential challenges could make it difficult to address issues effectively,” he added.
The Assembly underlined its capacity to legislate on local government issues and perform required oversight tasks.
Kwarpo informed the public that the revision was made in the best interests of the state, not for narrow or self-serving reasons.
The reduction in tenure is designed to improve supervision and agility as local governments navigate the new financial landscape.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0