Edo State Government Implements 1979 Law, Granting Monthly Allowances to Traditional Rulers for Local Council Administration

The Edo State Government Executive Council has given the green light to the enforcement of a long-standing 1979 Law pertaining to local council administration. Under this new directive, traditional rulers across all 18 local government areas within the state will now receive monthly allowances to oversee their respective territories.

In a communiqué released by the Secretary to the Edo State Government, Osarodion Ogie, Esq., the decision emerged from a comprehensive review at a recent Executive Council meeting held at the Government House in Benin City.

Ogie elaborated, stating, “The Council has unanimously resolved to establish a traditional council in each of the state’s 18 local government areas. The esteemed Oba of Benin retains his enduring role as the permanent chairman of both the Edo State Traditional Council of Obas and Chiefs, as well as the Benin Traditional Council. The latter, comprising traditional leaders from Edo South Senatorial District, serves as the overarching entity.”

The objective behind these monthly allowances, according to Ogie, is to facilitate the fulfillment of the traditional rulers’ essential duties. These responsibilities encompass the promotion of social cohesion, the preservation of peace, the enforcement of traditional vigilance, and the cultivation of harmonious coexistence within their respective communities.

Ogie further clarified, “The Edo State Executive Council underlines that His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, maintains his permanent role as chairman of the Edo State Traditional Council of Obas and Chiefs. This includes his standing as the permanent chairman of the umbrella council for Edo South Senatorial District. The funding and budgetary allocations for the Benin Traditional Council will operate autonomously, distinct from the financing allocated to other traditional councils within the various local government areas throughout the State.”

This transformative structural alteration, as pointed out by Ogie, holds the promise of empowering traditional rulers across the state’s diverse localities. Their enhanced capacities will facilitate collaborative efforts with other pertinent stakeholders to ensure the continued maintenance of peace, the preservation of law and order, and the acceleration of grassroots development.

Additionally, Ogie emphasized, “This novel framework will significantly deepen grassroots governance, fostering stronger connections between the government and its citizenry. It will facilitate the exchange of vital feedback, provide insight into the needs of the people, and enable targeted support for the most vulnerable members of society within local and hard-to-reach communities across the State.”

As the Edo State Government embarks on this pivotal endeavor, the stage is set for an enhanced collaboration between traditional leadership and modern governance, with the ultimate goal of fostering holistic development and a more harmonious society.