‘We don’t have access to our allocations’ — Abia councillor accuses state of withholding LG funds

Victor Ngwakwe, a councillor representing Osokwa ward in the Osisioma Ngwa LGA of Abia, has accused the state government of withholding councils’ funds.

In a statement on Friday, Ngwakwe alleged that there is a growing hunger across Abia and attributed it to the state’s “tight control of local government funds”.

The councillor, who is also the leader of the 7th Osisioma Ngwa legislative council, said “public confidence in local representatives is fading, particularly among elderly voters who no longer trust their councillors to deliver on campaign promises”.

“Our people are not asking for much. They just want the basic things the government is supposed to do for them,” the Labour Party (LP) lawmaker said.

“The grassroots don’t know the people at the state level — they only have access to their councillors, who unfortunately have no funds to work with.”

The councillor said the state government is violating the 1999 Constitution by allegedly refusing to allow LG councils to manage their funds.

“Everything is done at the government house in Umuahia, which is against what’s clearly stated in the constitution,” he said.

“It’s only in Abia that this section of the law is implemented 100% against local councils. Whatever you see any councillor doing now is either funded personally or supported by a friend or political boss.

“The funds allocated to Osisioma Ngwa are enough to show that we care for our people. But I must be clear — Abia State controls the local government money, and we don’t have access to our monthly allocations.”