New administrators for the 17 local governments of Abia State, South-East Nigeria, were sworn-in today with Governor Theodore Orji promising that elections into the third-tier would be conducted as soon as funds are available.

The governor, however, said that sanity must be restored in the local government system before the council polls would hold.

Orji said the measure was to ensure that those to be elected to run the council’s would operate without hitch.

News Express reports that the governor last year had said that council polls would hold in the state this January.

Then, the state electoral body swung into action and embarked on the process of creating new wards. However, the House of Assembly passed a resolution, urging the governor to put off the January date until funds are available for the exercise.

This created another opportunity for the appointment of a fresh set of caretaker committees to run the affairs of the councils.

“There is need to always appoint transition members who would run the affairs of local governments,” the governor said.

He charged the chairmen to make salary payment first charge, fish out ghost workers and fight corruption while urging them to utilise council funds for grassroots development, particularly legacy projects.

Orji also warned them to always keep the median of the expressway clean for security reasons.

Chukwudi Ndumele of Umuahia North Local Government Area, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, thanked the governor for finding them fit to serve and assured that they would do their best to complement his efforts.

•Photo: Cross section of the Local Government Transition Committee Chairmen taking their oath of office during their swearing-in at the Michael Okpara Auditorium in Umuahia.