The Rivers State chapter of the Association of Local Government Areas of Nigeria (ALGON) has accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara of withholding funds meant for the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state, thereby hindering their functions in administering the third tier of government.
In a news briefing held in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, the State ALGON Chairman and Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Allwell Ihunda, alleged that the Rivers State Government, under Fubara’s leadership, has neglected its obligation to hold the statutory Joint Account Allocation Committee Meeting.
This meeting is crucial for the release and disbursement of funds due to the local governments in the State Joint Local Government Accounts.
According to Ihunda, the state government has withheld the statutory allocations due to the 23 local government councils of Rivers State since April 2024.
He further said that Emuoha LGA has been deprived of its allocations since March 2024.
Ihunda condemned this action, stating that it starves the third tier of government of the funds necessary to fulfil its statutory functions in administering the local government areas.
Additionally, Ihunda accused Governor Fubara of holding a meeting with top personnel of the local government councils, directing them to compile salary vouchers and overheads of civil servants, excluding elected officials such as chairmen, vice-chairmen, and councillors.
This move, according to Ihunda, is an attempt by the governor to unlawfully access local government funds to pay staff salaries directly, bypassing the democratically elected local government chairmen.
The ALGON chairman described Fubara’s actions as seeking to proscribe the system of local government by democratically elected councils, guaranteed under Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
He warned that such actions could lead Rivers State into the dark ages of totalitarianism and autocratic rule.
In response to the situation, the state chapter of ALGON declared that the incumbent chairmen of the 23 local government councils in the state would not vacate their offices after the expiration of their tenure on June 17, 2024.
