The Cross River State House of Assembly has commenced the process of amending the Local Government Law 2007.
The proposed amendment seeks to increase political appointments across the local government areas.
Sponsored by the lawmaker representing Abi State Constituency, Davies Etta,on Tuesday in Calabar, the bill proposed to raise the number of appointees in each LGA to 50, including 16 Special Adviser positions and the creation of a new cadre of officials known as Ward Relation Officers.
The bill proposes that “The Chairman of Council may appoint such number of Special Advisers to assist him in the discharge of his duties, provided that appointments, when added to other statutory appointments, shall not exceed a total number of 50.”
According to the provisions of the amended law, Ward Relation Officers will hold ranks equivalent to Special Advisers and will report directly to the LG chairman of the respective local government areas.
The lawmaker explained that initiative aims to enhance grassroots engagement and governance at the ward level.
The bill also seeks to elevate the office of the Head of Local Government Administration to the status of a Permanent Secretary in the state public service.
It proposed that“The office of the HOLGA shall be equivalent to the Office of a Permanent Secretary of the State Public Service and shall enjoy all rights and privileges of the Permanent Secretary, including pensions.”
Additionally, the amendment stipulated that appointments to the position of HOLGA must not be made from outside the local government service of the state.
The bill, which has already passed its first and second readings in the House, has been referred to the Joint Committee on Local Government Affairs, Judiciary, and Public Accounts for further deliberations and stakeholders’ inputs.
Speaking on the bill, the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Elvert Ayambem, said it aimed to strengthen local government administration by fostering inclusivity and empowering grassroots leaders to contribute more effectively to governance.
“This amendment is about bridging the gap between local governments and the people by making governance more accessible and impactful,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Assembly, on Tuesday, urged the Ministry of Environment and relevant animal control agencies to address the issue of unrestrained domestic animals within the Calabar metropolis.
The House emphasised the need for owners to take responsibility for restraining their animals to prevent them from roaming the streets.
This resolution followed a motion presented by Ovat Agbor, representing Obubra 1 State Constituency.
Agbor called for the sanitisation of the city, lamenting that stray animals such as goats, sheep, and cattle pose a nuisance by littering streets, destroying gardens, and defacing greenery intended to beautify the state.
Agbor also highlighted the dangers posed by stray animals, citing a recent incident where a stray dog attacked a schoolboy, inflicting severe injuries.
He stressed that it is the owners’ responsibility to care for and confine their animals.
Hillary Bisong, representing Boki 2 State Constituency, supported the motion, and described the trend as detrimental to the state’s tourism potential.
Other lawmakers echoed similar concerns and urged swift action to control the situation.
In his remarks, the Speaker described the motion as timely and reaffirmed the House’s commitment to maintaining Calabar’s status as Nigeria’s cleanest city.