Fresh hurdles await the three local government chairmen reinstated in Bayelsa State by the Supreme Court following the move by the state government to supervise disbursement of funds from the accounts of councils in the state.
Our correspondent learnt that the government had evolved a new policy on local government administration with emphasis on curtailing the alleged financial rascality of council chairmen.
Besides, the government was said to have placed Mr. Koku Gariga of Sagbama Local Government Area; Mr. Selekebina Saboh (Ekeremor) and Mr. Ineye Igbaifegha (Kolokuma/Opokuma), who were reinstated by the court, under surveilance.
The Governor of the state, Mr. Seriake Dickson, who was said to be uncomfortable with the antecedant of the new council bosses, had ordered security agencies in the state to keep them under watch.
As part of the new policy, a council boss must provide details of a project and its benefits to the council which must be approved by the Deputy Governor of the state, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd), and the Ministry of Local Government Affairs before he is allowed to embark on such project.
Our correspondent also learnt that the new policy also barred council chairmen from borrowing money from banks under the guise of financing a project.
Dickson, who confirmed the new development on Monday evening in his monthly transparency briefing, insisted that the revenue accruing to the local government was not the personal money of a chairman.
He said, "With effect from this month, money will be released only for the payment of salaries by the ministry of local government and whatever is left which is for development will actually go for the development of local government."
