Parliament on Tuesday 30th May 2017
debated and passed into law the Bill entitled “The Local Government Amendment
Act, 2017”.
The Act is aimed at amending the Local
Government Act, 2004 with the view of providing for the addition of new Districts
created under the Provinces (Administrative Division) Order, 2017 and other
related matters.
Presenting the Bill prior to ratification, the
Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hadiru Ibrahim Kalokoh
said that Part 1 in the recent de-amalgamation of chiefdoms and the subsequent
division of the Northern Province into two provinces has resulted in the
creation of two additional Districts, with one provincial headquarters. He furthered
that this has necessitated the establishment of three new local councils which
are currently not listed among those in the Local Government Act, 2004.
He also informed Parliament that with the
advent of the de-amalgamation of chiefdoms and the re-districting, the number
of chiefdoms in the Local Councils has changed, hence the need for the
amendment.
MPs who spoke to the Bill described it “as non-controversial”
and called for the immediate installation of Regent Chiefs in the newly created
chiefdoms to avoid the interference of Paramount Chiefs in those areas, whilst
expressing that the Bill is in tandem with the Provinces Act.
The Acting Minority Leader, Hon. Jusufu B.
Mansaray and the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Leonard Fofanah expressed
similar sentiments respectively.
Department of Public Relations
Parliament of Sierra Leone
OAU Drive, Tower Hill
Freetown
Tel: 077669726/078495023/078426851
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