From Gyang Bere, Jos
Plateau Governor, Simon Lalong, has sacked management committee members and chairmen of the 17 Local Government Areas of the state, after a midnight meeting which lasted several hours.
Daily Sun gathered that the dissolution was against the wish of the state chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Mr. Latep Dabang, who allegedly begged for extension of their tenure.
But, the House of Assembly, led by Speaker Peter Azi during the meeting, reportedly insisted that the council chairmen, whose tenure expired on Wednesday night, must vacate their seats.
Lalong, in a statement signed by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Emmanuel Nanle, directed the chairmen to hand over to Directors of Personnel Management, pending further action, in line with the provisions of law.
“Governor of Plateau state, Simon Bako Lalong has approved the dissolution of the existing local government transition committees, with effect from Thursday June 29, 2017.
“The chairmen and management committee members are to, immediately, hand over the running of affairs of the local government councils to the directors of personnel management, pending further actions in line with the provisions of law.”
Lalong had, in 2016, sacked elected local government chairmen and, in exercise of his powers under the Act, which provides for the establishment and administration of the Local Government Councils, 2005, as amended, subject to the ratification of the Assembly, constituted management committees whose tenure expired on June 28, 2017.
The governor expressed profound appreciation to all members of the dissolved committees for their selfless service in the two years of their stewardship and wished them the best in all their endeavours.