Bill seeking fresh educational qualification for LG chair passes second reading at House of Reps

A bill proposing a first degree as minimum qualification for the position of local government chairman has scaled second reading in the House of Representatives, the Punch newspaper has reported.

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The bill, jointly sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Ben Kalu, and eight others, was among the 42 bills passed on Wednesday.

Currently, the basic qualification for election as a local government chairman or vice chairman is WASSCE while they enjoy a three-year term.

But the bill seeks to comprehensively review the legal and administrative framework governing local government councils.

The sponsors of the bill said it shall establish a robust legal framework that will enhance the administrative capacity of local governments, promote efficient service delivery, transparency, and accountability, and further strengthen the democratic culture at the grassroots level.

According to the bill, Section 7 of the Principal Act is amended with a new Section 7.

It states, “There shall be for each local government a democratically elected chairman and a vice-chairman, who shall be qualified for election if he is an indigene of the local government; has attained the age of 25 years; and has been educated up to at least the first degree certificate or its equivalent.”

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It adds that, “A person elected to the office of Chairman shall not begin to perform the functions of that office until he has declared his assets and liabilities as prescribed in this Constitution and has subsequently taken and subscribed, before the Chief Judge of the State or his nominee, the Oath of Allegiance and the Oath of Office as prescribed in the Seventh Schedule to this Constitution.”

Section 7(1b) of the bill also states that “An election to the office of chairman shall be held on a date to be appointed by the responsible electoral body, which shall be held on a date not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the term of office of the last holder of that office.”

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It further states that “A candidate for election to the office of chairman shall be deemed to have been duly elected if the candidate is the only person whose name was submitted to the electoral body for election; and if there is more than one candidate, the candidate with the majority valid votes cast at the election.”

Section 7C of the bill also provides for the election of local government chairmen, vice chairmen and councillors for a four-year term and it is renewable.

Section 7D of the proposed law also provides the procedure for the removal of a chairman or vice-chairman from office.