UNIFORM COMMUNITY ADMINISTRATION IN A HETEROGENEOUS CULTURAL SETTING: AN ASSESSMENT OF THE BAYELSA STATE COMMUNITY ADMINISTRATION BILL, 2024

Abstract

The Community Administration Bill, 2024 which is currently before the Bayelsa State House of Assembly seeks to create a uniform community administration structure for all communities in Bayelsa State. The Bill proposes to streamline community administration in a preset format, using standard form institutions vested with certain powers. Against the backdrop of the lack of constitutional recognition for traditional institutions, government recognition of these institutions in a statute may be regarded as a welcome development. However, the imposition of uniform structures on the diverse cultural settings within Bayelsa State may do more harm than good, by destroying long standing customs, norms, ethos and traditional structures which have existed for centuries, and this may be counterproductive. This paper critically assesses the implications of the proposed Community Administration bill with a view to suggesting solutions. Drawing examples from Ghana’s practice of protecting cultural institutions, the study finds that maintaining the existing rich and culturally diverse traditional institutions while putting in place certain general standards for community administration would be more effective than uniform prescriptions as intended by the Bill under consideration.