EXPOSED: The rot in Abia State LG financial mgt stinking

Concerned local government workers have alleged that about N3billion were used in the conduct of the last local government election. 

Mouthpiece NGR understands that, on Thursday, the workers said recently they were told about the resolution of the Abia State House of Assembly to probe the alleged N3billion used in the conduct of the last local government election.

A statement made available to this medium reveals that most Abians were not expecting anything different as the House of Assembly have severally proved to be an accomplish in the looting of the State since past probes have been swept under the carpet by the House after money exchanges hands.

Abians did not expect anything different from the same House of Assembly as they usually  announce a public hearing just to get attention of the executive and their own share from the loot hence we have decided to take our destiny in our hands and save our State. 

On 9th of March the Local Government Chairmen  led by the AlGON Chairman Hon Ibeh Nwoke staged a walk out from JAAC meeting because of excessive executive interference in the management of the JAAC account. They complained that they made electoral promises to their constituents and cannot condone the fruadlement deductions being made by the executive through SA domestic Mr Erondu Jr who has been the defector commissioner since 2018.

Mouthpiece NGR gathered that problem started when the local government chairmen listed all the loans secured through the JAAC account shortly before they were sworn in last November 2020 and its implications on their funds. These loans include 1.# 2.3billon for the construction of ABSIEC building and cost of conducting local government election in Nov. 2 #850m for deployment of biometric capturing machine in the local govwrnemy ( the most expensive IT deployment in our history.

4. .#1.3billion for the completion of the JAAC building which has been on since 2011 and over #9b spent on the building so far without completing it. (leaking basket).

All these repayment deductions amounts to #350m monthly. This means that the local governments are less with #350m anytime the allocation is paid and this will run for 2 years.

With all these biting financial deductions the SA on domestic to the Governor still insist that more deductions must come from the local government account as its alleged that over 180m is futher deducted from their joint local government accounts monthly this has rendered most local govt dead as bushes have over taken their compound.

Already workers under the local government system which include Junior Primaray school teachers , local government workers, Local health workers are being owned 12 months, 4 months and 3 months respectively. This also include the local govt pension being owned over 17months.

It was also discovered recently that from 2018 till date a total of about 4,500 new  workers have been added to the already over bloated work force at the local government level, many dont even have offices not to talk of tables. These workers who are mainly  from Abia South were employed with waiver from the same Governor who ordered  their suspension after working for two years and earning salary from 

the local government.  

The chairmen who are not happy with they way they are being treated even when they are elected local government chairman staged a walk out from the JAAC  meeting.

This resulted to the Governor calling for a meeting today  being 10th of March without inviting  the Obingwa local government Chairman who doubles as the ALGON chairman and Hon Kamalu the Osisoma local government chairman…

It was after the meeting that the Governor announced the desolution of the exco of AlGON through the SSG which we doubt if he   has the powers especially since they are elected local government chairmen .

Its being alleged that some the chairmen are ready to take on the Governor as they have evidence of serious financial interference in the management of the local govt  funds. It’s alleged  that N6m is used for entertainment of 17 local govt chairmen monthly in a meeting that last only 2hrs. 

Most painful is the councillors at the local government who sold many of their properties to be elected as councillors with alot of expectations. These councillors are being offered 85k monthly as full and final payment as salary. This is painful.

We have noticed the abuse of the local government funds for years in Abia.

Successive governments have seen the local government system as a platform for stealing and conduit for  frudulent since previous administrations 

This is as nobody has been made to account for all the  fruad in the past. 

Where this will end we don’t know, however we are not happy the way our funds are being fraudulently siphoned  through proxies. The autonomy of the local government should be enforced and not this  kind  of autonomy in Abia State  were all the local government are forced to open accounts in one bank and forced to make remittances back to an account called joint account from there the fraud is concluded. 

We call on our chairmen to be focused and resolute in their quest to save the local government system from the continued looting that has been on since previous administrations in the state.