By Chioma Onuegbu

Eket—Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has resolved to suspend voting on the passage of autonomy for local government administration in the ongoing constitution amendment process seeking alterations of some provisions in the Nigerian constitution.

Assembly Mace

The decision followed protests that had trailed the local government administration autonomy item by the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT,  Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and other labour union leaders.

It will be recalled that primary school teachers took to the streets last year across the country protesting the granting of local government autonomy which will directly put them on local government payrolls for fear of being subjected to suffering because of  many months of non-payment of salaries experienced in the past.

The House unanimously agreed to consider the item after the National Assembly would have engaged labour leaders, especially the NUT, in further consultations.

However, majority of the members voted for the passage of remaining items especially those seeking financial autonomy/independence for the legislature and immunity for legislators against utterances made during plenary.