The Panel of Inquiry set up to investigate the issuance of Staff of Office to some traditional rulers by the immediate past administration on 9th May 2023 in Abia has submitted its report to the state government.
Receiving the Report on behalf of the state government, the Abia State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Uzor Nwachukwu thanked the Panel for their painstaking effort towards realizing the task.
Nwachukwu stated that the report’s submission marked a significant milestone in the effort to ensure transparency and accountability in the issuance of Staff of Office to traditional rulers in the State.
He assured the Panel members that the report would be studied carefully and appropriate actions taken in due course.
Submitting the report earlier, the Chairman of the Panel, Chief Magistrate, Uche Uwanuakwa Uche (Rted) expressed the Panel’s appreciation to the State Governor, Alex Otti for finding them worthy to carry out the assignment, saying that the state never interfered with their activities throughout their sitting.
The retired Magistrate pointed out that the Panel embarked on a fact-finding mission to investigate the circumstances surrounding the issuance of Staff of Office to some traditional rulers with a view to determining whether due process was followed and whether the traditional rulers met the requirements before they were issued by the past administration.
Magistrate Uche said the submission of the report will shed more light on the findings of the Panel and provide recommendations for future improvements in the issuance of Staff of Office.
An indigene of one of the autonomous communities whose traditional ruler was investigated told DAILY POST on Friday that the Eze is confident of surviving the litany of petitions written against him by some persons.
” Some people wrote a petition against our traditional ruler and he is worried about what may become his fate
” We love him and believe that the Panel will clear him and reaffirm the legitimacy of his Staff of Office”, the indigene said, under anonymity.
Abia traditional rulers await fate as govt panel submits report on Staff of Office