The Abia State House of Assembly has committed to its Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, a bill for a Bye Law seeking to appropriate the sum of forty two billion, eight hundred and forty two million, two hundred and eighty seven thousand, one hundred and forty naira only for the services of the 17 Local Government Councils of Abia State of Nigeria for the year ending December 31, 2023, and for other related purposes for further legislative actions and to report back in two weeks.
This followed the first and second reading of the Bill titled, H.A.B: 4, The Abia State of Nigeria 2023 Local Government Councils Appropriation Bill, 2023, sponsored by the Majority Leader and member representing Arochukwu State Constituency, Mr. Uchenna Okoro.
The House which is just resuming officially from its month-long annual recess also received a letter from the Governor, Dr Alex Otti informing them of his appointment of Prof. Udochukwu Ogbonna as the Chairman of the State Board of Internal Revenue Service and urging them to confirm the appointment.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa further directed the House Committee that screened the previous appointees by the Governor to the House to go ahead and interact with the appointee before presentation to the House.
The House adopted a motion for the leadership of the House to articulate and commended the State Governor Dr. Alex Otti for his focused and purposeful leadership in the past 100 days in office which recorded huge success and to encourage and assure him of the support of the Legislature.
This followed a motion by the member representing Umunneochi State Constituency, Hon. Matthias Umeh recalling the various policies, projects and programmes of the present administration in various sectors and sections of the state.
The House also received a motion from the member representing Bende North, Dr Nnamdi Ibekwe calling on other state Houses of Assembly in the South East, Governors of the South East States and members of the National Assembly to agree and make a proposal for the Country to adopt the South East of Nigeria as the Judicial Capital of the country as a way of fostering national unity and integration and in line with what is obtainable in some other countries that share our similarities.
Ruling on the presentation and submissions by members, the Speaker, Chief Emmanuel Emeruwa directed the presenter of the motion to go back and work on it for re-presentation.