Osun Assembly reverses policy on local government administration

Another policy reversal was stamped today in Osun as the Osun State House of Assembly reversed another controversial policy of former administration led by Ogbeni Aregbesola by passing the Osun State Local Government Administration Amendment 2021 into law.

The bill which was sponsored by the Speaker of the assembly, Timothy Owoeye, for a law to amend the Local Government Administration No. 6 law of 2016 and other connected purposes has now given the governor of the state the power to fill vacant positions in the local governments.

Speaking at the plenary on Wednesday, Mr Owoeye said section 2 (a) of the State of Osun Local Government Administration amendment No. 6 Bill 2016 is amended forthwith as “Where a Local Government Council, Local Council Development Areas or Area Council is dissolved and no election has been conducted to reconstitute the council or it has become impracticable to immediately conduct election to fill the vacancies thereby created, the Governor shall appoint a Caretaker Management Committee to run the affairs of the council for a period not exceeding six months.

“The Local Government Caretaker Management Committee shall comprise the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Scribe to the Local Government and a member from each of the wards in the local Government Area or Local Council Development Area. In case of an Area Council, an Administrator shall be appointed. The appointments shall be subjected to the confirmation of the House of Assembly,” Owoeye added.

According to the bill, ”the administration at local government level has been reversed from the parliamentary system initiated by Mr Aregbesola to a presidential system”.