Twenty Local government council chairmen in Niger state have stayed away from public hearing organised by the state House of Assembly for a bill to amend the 2001 local government law in the state.
LEADERSHIP observed that the absence of the chairmen who were major stake holders for the amendment of the law has forced the Assembly to postpone the hearing till further notice.
It was observed that the commissioner of Justice, Barrister Mohammed Bawa Wuse and the Solicitor General and permanent secretary of the ministry, Barrister Ndagi? Wali were the only stakeholders that attended the hearing.
The chairman of the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Honourable Jacob Gana, who announced the postponement, decried the attitude of the council chairmen, secretaries and councillors? to the amendment.
He said it was unfortunate that they showed no concern over a bill that they were supposed to be concerned about since it affected them directly.
Gana said that he expected the chairmen and the councillors to personally attend the public hearing? because the operation of the bill would be in their hands.
He therefore advised all stakeholders to come with their memos stating their position on the sections of the law slated for amendment in the next date to be announced.