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The Anambra State Government has announced plans to establish Community Administrations as a fourth tier of government in the state.

The proposed structure could significantly change the way towns and communities across Anambra are administered and developed.

Under the plan, Community Administrations would operate with clearly defined functions and dedicated funding, subject to a bill currently being prepared by the state government.

The development was disclosed on Tuesday after the 11th meeting of the Anambra State Executive Council (ANSEC) under Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo’s second term in office.

The meeting was held at the Light House in Awka.

The resolutions reached at the meeting were contained in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Law Mefor.

Although the government has yet to release comprehensive details of the proposed fourth tier of government, it said the initiative was intended to strengthen grassroots administration and speed up development within communities.

The arrangement is also expected to provide communities with a more clearly defined role in governance and local development.

According to the state government, the proposal would allow the state government and the 21 local government areas to concentrate on wider strategic responsibilities.

Town and community unions have traditionally played an important role in the development and administration of communities across Anambra.

They have often been involved in mobilising residents for community projects, supporting local institutions and coordinating development initiatives.

The proposed law would, however, provide a formal legal framework for community-level administration by assigning specific responsibilities and funding to the new structures.

The government said work on the bill was nearing completion but did not state when it would be forwarded to the Anambra State House of Assembly.

It also did not disclose how the proposed Community Administrations would function alongside the existing local government system.

Meanwhile, ANSEC approved plans to amend the Anambra State Electricity Law to impose tougher sanctions on electricity theft and the vandalism of power infrastructure.

The proposed amendment is expected to introduce higher fines and longer prison terms for individuals convicted of stealing electricity or damaging infrastructure, including transformers and cables.

The state government said the measure would help protect public infrastructure, ensure consumers pay only for electricity they use and discourage actions that could interfere with electricity supply.

The council also approved the continued payment of salaries to teachers deployed to mission-returned schools across the state.

According to the government, 3,500 of the 8,115 primary and secondary school teachers recruited by the Soludo administration have so far been posted to mission-returned schools.

The state said it would continue funding their salaries despite describing the arrangement as unusual in the South-East.

It explained that retaining the teachers was necessary to ensure that the affected schools remain affordable and accessible, particularly to families facing financial difficulties.

ANSEC also reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing minimum regulatory standards in the education and health sectors.

The government stated that schools and healthcare facilities that fail to satisfy the required standards would continue to face closure.

It said the enforcement was aimed at improving quality, tackling quackery and raising the standard of service delivery across the state.

The government further restated its commitment to improving public schools and hospitals in order to make them the preferred choice for residents.

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