With the tenure of elected local council chairmen in Rivers State expected to end June 17 and without the possibility of a local council election being conducted immediately, youths of Khana council of the state have urged the State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara to appoint the next caretaker committee chairman to administer the council from Khana Constituency 2.
The youths said the appointment would balance the seeming neglect and lopsidedness in political appointments in the area.
The youths who noted that Khana is divided into three administrative districts such as Babbe, Ken-Khana and Nyo-Khana with two constituencies, stated that while Babbe and Ken-Khana in Constituency 1 have political appointments, Constituency 2 has nothing to boast of.
The statement which was signed by Dornubari Asogho, the President of Khana Youth Council lamented further that the situation of Constituency 2 is worsened by the inability of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct elections to fill the vacant Khana Constituency 2 seat since the demise of its former occupant.
To correct the seeming marginalisation, the youths are insisting that a Caretaker Committee Chairman from Constituency 2 will give people from the area a sense of belonging in the current administration.
The statement read in parts:
“The Khana Youth Council wishes to draw attention to the current imbalance in political appointments within Khana Local Government Area. Khana LGA comprises three administrative districts: Babbe, Ken Khana, and Nyo-Khana, and is divided into two political constituencies; Constituency 1 and Constituency 2.
“Currently, the political appointments within Khana LGA are disproportionately concentrated in Constituency 1. The Rivers State Commissioner of Agriculture and the outgoing Khana Local Government Chairman are both from Ken Khana district. Additionally, the Commissioner of Environment, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Project Monitoring, and the Rectors of Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic and Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic are all from Babbe district, also within Constituency 1.
“In stark contrast, Nyo-Khana in Constituency 2, which is larger than Constituency 1, remains without any state appointments. Furthermore, the unfortunate passing of the member representing Khana Constituency 2 has left the area without representation, exacerbating its marginalization and underdevelopment”.
The statement added: “For the sake of equity and fair play, we urgently call on the Governor of Rivers State to appoint the next Caretaker Chairman of Khana Local Government Area from Nyo-Khana District in Khana Constituency 2. This appointment should be given to a young individual who is dedicated to the progress and welfare of the people of Khana, rather than corrupt and greedy politicians who have previously failed Khana people”.
“We believe that this move will help to balance political representation and promote inclusive development across all districts within Khana LGA”.
