THE Rivers State House of Assembly, chaired by Martin Amaewhule, has expressed concern about the Caretaker Committee Chairmen’s (CTC) ongoing tenure in office despite a Supreme Court decision ruling them illegal. The lawmaker want them arrested.
The Supreme Court has ruled in a case brought by the Attorney General of the Federation and the Attorneys General of the 36 states that CTC is illegal.
The House leader, Major Jack, informed the members of the Certified True Copy of the aforementioned Supreme Court ruling, which he put before the speaker, at plenary today.
While presenting his report, the Chairman of the House Committee on Local Governments, Ignatius Onwuka, expressed concern about CTC Chairmen’s continued activities despite the Supreme Court’s decision.
“Some impostors are parading themselves as caretaker committee chairmen and members in the 23 local governments. Mr Speaker this worries me because this House amended the law of Local Governments in the state directing that only elected Local Government officials shall be the ones responsible for local government activities,” he said.
Onwuka added: “These impostors are going around the local governments parading themselves and harassing innocent men and women, imposing levies and rates. So, for us as a House, we felt we should bring the activities of these impostors to your notice.”
In a separate petition, the member representing Andoni Constituency, Ofiks Kagbang, accused Governor Fubara of inciting anarchy.
He said, “From what I’m seeing in this state, the governor is inviting anarchy. The Supreme Court says there should be no caretaker committee and Mr Governor is still keeping those caretaker committee chairmen collecting levies and rates. Is that not anarchy?”
After voting, Amaewhule requested that the police arrest the caretaker committee chairs wherever they were seen parading themselves. He directed the head of the House Committee on Information to tell residents on the status of their choice.
