LG autonomy, devolution of powers our top priorities — Kalu

The House of Representatives has reiterated its commitment to granting greater autonomy to Local Government Councils across the country.

The Deputy Speaker of the House and Chairman of the Committee on Constitution Review, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, disclosed this in Abuja while addressing members of the Abiriba Communal Improvement Union (ACIU) Worldwide, led by its President-General, Hon. Yuccee Uwah.

Located in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State, the Abiriba Ancient Kingdom, popularly known as “The Small London,” is renowned for remarkable achievements in business, industry, public service, the private sector, academia, science, and technology. It continues to play a significant role in the development of the country.

Hon. Kalu stated that the Constitution Review process is focused on devolving powers to local governments, enabling them to control their development agendas. He noted that the primary goal is to promote grassroots development, accountability, and effective service delivery.

The Deputy Speaker emphasized the importance of communities organizing and prioritizing their needs to enable the government to respond appropriately.

He said:
“As we gather here today, let us be reminded: the destiny of a nation is shaped not only by its leaders but also by the unity of its communities.

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“The House of Representatives, under the leadership of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, and myself as Deputy Speaker, is committed to inclusive governance, rural development, and strategic community empowerment.

“To this end, the Constitution Review process is focusing on increased devolution of powers and improved local government autonomy. This will empower communities like Abiriba to have more direct control over their development agendas. We are pushing for policy reforms that ensure equitable access to federal infrastructure in underrepresented zones.

“I have personally advocated for grassroots development in the national budget, supporting local projects in roads, schools, healthcare, and youth empowerment. Community-led skills training initiatives, such as those led by ACIU, are vital in bridging development gaps. That is why, when communities organize, governments must prioritize.”

Regarding the delegation’s proposal for a new local government area to be carved out of Ohafia, the Deputy Speaker urged the Abiriba community to follow the established constitutional process. He stressed that adherence to due process would ensure fair consideration of their request.

“The issue of local government creation, some members here are part of the Constitution Review Committee, which I chair.

“There is a process. If you submitted your documents within the timeline we provided, they would be considered. If not, they may not. I will ask the Clerk whether the documents were submitted on time so we can determine how to proceed with the local government creation,” he said.

Earlier in his presentation, the President-General, Hon. Uwah, solicited Kalu’s support to help the community secure the creation of the Abiriba Local Government Area, among other requests.

“Abiriba people desire the creation of Abiriba Local Government Area, to be carved out of Ohafia Local Government Area. Our people including traditional institutions, political stakeholders, and the entire community have endorsed and supported the proposal for the Abiriba Local Government Council in Abia State. We share common ancestry, history, and cultural affinity, which foster peaceful co-existence and progress within the proposed council.

“We firmly believe that this request will receive fair consideration by the National Assembly, the Abia State House of Assembly, and the President during the ongoing amendments to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Accordingly, we have submitted a memorandum to the House of Representatives through the Office of the Deputy Speaker and Co-chairman of the National Assembly Committee on the 1999 Constitutional Amendments, requesting the creation of the Abiriba Local Government Area from the present Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State.

“Your Excellency’s significant contribution to the establishment of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) is commendable. We hope that the SEDC will help address the infrastructure deficit in the region and in Abiriba in particular.

“Therefore, we appeal for SEDC’s support in providing infrastructure, including roads, schools, hospitals, and agricultural processing facilities in Abiriba, to improve the economic well-being of our people. We also look forward to seeing young men and women from Abiriba employed by the SEDC to ensure equity and inclusion for people from the catchment area.

“We further request the intervention of the National Assembly to resolve an over-10-year-old dispute that has resulted in the disconnection of Abiriba and its environs from the National Grid by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC). For over a decade, EEDC has cut off electricity supply to the communities of Abiriba, Ohafia, and Nkporo in Ohafia Local Government Area.

“Our communities have been left without access to public electricity supply, forcing them to rely on generators. The environmental impact, financial burden, and psychological toll on our people have been devastating,” Uwah said.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE