July 27, (THEWILL) – Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has charged the new Local Government Caretaker Chairmen and their Rural Development Authority (RDA) counterparts in the State to reside in their council areas while carrying out their official duties.
Governor Diri gave the directive on Wednesday, during the swearing-in ceremony of the eight Local Government Caretaker Chairmen and 32 Rural Development Authority Chairmen at the Executive Council Chambers of Government House, Yenagoa.
The Governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, stressed that the Government will frown at any council chairman that flouts the directive on residency.
He also directed the new appointees to appoint only five supervisory councillors, adding that they are only entitled to three personal aides.
Governor Diri equally reminded them that the embargo on employment was still in place and that loans from banks and private sources were prohibited.
The Governor also urged the National Assembly to consider creating more Local Government Areas for the State, stating that Bayelsa deserves at least 30 constitutionally.
He said: “Bayelsa State currently has eight Local Government Councils as enshrined and recognised by the 1999 constitution as amended. I, therefore, like to call on all members of the National Assembly from the State to make an effort to ensure our 24 RDAs are recognised as local government councils.
“Local government councils should actually be the creation of the people of a particular state, depending on their resources. I do believe and know that, if we control our resources in Bayelsa, we can create the numbers of local governments that will benefit our people,” he said.
The new LG Caretaker Chairmen are Alabo Hanson Karima (Brass), Chief. Belemu Nemine (Ekeremor), Inemo Oruebimiekumo (Kolokuma/Opokuma) and Chief Samuel Kalaguo (Nembe)
Others are Chief Ibu Williams Mizodome (Ogbia), Richman Samuel Ebipade (Sagbama), Lucky Okodeh (Southern Ijaw), and Mr. Tobi Andy (Yenagoa).
