The Rivers State House of Assembly on Monday, at its 100th Legislative Sitting frowned at the appointment of Mr. Goodlife Ben as acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Dr. Mrs Ine Briggs as acting Director- General of Bureau for Public Procurement, and Mr. Tonte Davies as acting Administrator of New Cities Development Authority.
The House expressed its displeasure when the Majority Leader of House, Hon. Major Jack called the attention of the House to a Government Special Announcement in that regard.
Citing sections of relevant laws, Members commented on the information and pointed out that the Governor in the exercise of his powers has relegated the laws to the background.
Speaking on the appointments of the Governor, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, stated that the actions of the Governor in appointing someone to act as the Administrator of New Cities Development Authority, a body not known to any legislation in the State is condemnable.
Rt. Hon. Amaewhule further averred that the appointment of an acting Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, and an acting Director-General of the Bureau for Public Procurement are acts inconsistent with the provisions of the relevant Establishment laws of the Commission and the Bureau.
The Speaker wondered why Governor Fubara would deliberately act in violation of extant laws and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as altered, knowing that such acts constitute misconduct.
When the Speaker put the question, the House voted in the affirmative and resolved to write to Governor Fubara to draw his attention to Section 44(3) of the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018 and Section 5(1) of the Rivers State Public Procurement Law No. 4 of 2008. The House expressed its displeasure in those questionable appointments, which it viewed as an aberration and a violation of extant laws.
