AKHA Reinstates Suspended LG Boss

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has reinstated the suspended Chairperson of Nsit Atai Local Government Area, Lady Emem Ibanga with immediate effect.

The House also ordered her to urgently release funds for the payment of furniture allowance and other outstanding entitlements to the Councillors/political office holders in the Council before the end of their tenure by December, 2020.

These formed part of the House's Resolutions during its plenary today on the crises that had rocked the Local Government Council recently.

After considering the report submitted by Rt. Hon. Udo Kierian Akpan headed Adhoc Committee on the allegations against the suspended Chairperson, the House also adopted the recommendations of the Adhoc Committee.

The House by the Committee's recommendations resolved that the Chairperson of Nsit Atai LG Council should ensure compliance with the earlier directive of the House of Assembly to provide an official vehicle for the office of the Vice Chairman before the end of September, 2020.

She was ordered to show evidence of compliance with the directive to the Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

The House also ordered the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to work very closely with Local Government Councils in the State to ensure that payment of all outstanding entitlements of public officers are done before the end of their tenure in December, 2020.

The plenary which was presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey, further resolved that the suspended Chairperson of Nsit Atai LGA committed misconduct but however, did not amount to gross misconduct as envisaged in Section 44 (14) of the Local Government Administration Law 2017.

Consequently, based on the Local Government Administration Law 2017, her suspension was lifted and she was directed to resume work as the Chairman of Nsit Atai LG Council immediately.

It could be recalled that the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly on May 29, 2020 after due consideration of the Interim Report of the House Committee on Judiciary, Justice, Human Rights and Public Petitions over allegations of gross misconduct against the Chairperson of Nsit Atai LGC, suspended the Council boss indefinitely pending the outcome of the findings of the nine-man Adhoc Committee that investigated the matter.