Call on the Economic and Financial Crime Commission and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences ICPC to investigate their financial books
Abah Joshua
A Human Right Organization based in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State Capital, Ebonyi Justice, Human Right Protection and Defense Organization, JHRPD yesterday called on the Economic and Financial Crime Commission and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences ICPC to investigate the financial books of the 13 Council Chairmen in the State for prudence and accountability of the Allocations so far accessed by the Council Chairmen.
The Group in a statement in Abakaliki and made available to journalists expressed the regret that after one year in office, there is no justification of government presence in the rural areas who are in need of social aminities and Development.
The Director of the organization, Mr. Silas Akubuiro maintained that the inability of the anti graft agencies in the country to live up to their responsibilities has created the leeway for political office holders to embazzle government funds, run political offices as personal business without recourse to the responsibilities and duties that the office comes with.
He noted that accountability and prudence should be the watchword of all political office holders but expressed the regret that in Ebonyi State, the council Chairmen in connivance with the State Governor through the Joint Account Allocation Committee siphon and embazzle the local government funds with high level of impunity.
“It is unfortunate that in Ebonyi State since the inception of the last administration, the local government system has been a conduit pipe in which the council Chairmen and the State Chief Executive siphon and embazzle the local government funds with the illegal joint account policy. We have 13 local government in the State that are supposed to take the necessary social aminities to the rural areas, but regrettably none of such is happening.
“Because of lack of water, Ebonyi people at the rural area are dying as a result of cholera outbreaks, women and children die in droves at the rural areas because the health facilities are not working, different communities have been in darkness without electricity for over 40 years, rural farmers can not bring their farm produce to the town because there are no access roads yet we have the third tie of government, the local government Chairmen.
“It is disheartening that the moment allocation is received from the Federal Government, after payment of salaries, no single project will be executed with the allocation received. While the Chairmen live in affluence, the rural dwellers live in abject poverty.
“Until the anti graft agencies begin to do their work, the people at the rural areas will be at the receiving end. Go to places like Ohaukwu, Ishielu, Afikpo South, Afikpo North, Izzi, Ezza North and many others, the state of the primary school children are so pitiable. School children have to swim through river because a Council Chairman refused to construct a culvert across the small river” ,he said.
Similarly, a People’s Democratic Party PDP Chieftain, Mr. Moses Idika also described the state of local government administration in Ebonyi State today as that of hopelessness.
Mr. Idika while asseessing the one year in office of the Council Chairmen maintained that the local government system thrives on illegality of the highest level. In the first place a court has ruled that the current leadership of the 13 LGAs in Ebonyi State are not validly elected. The continue stay in office of the 13 Council Chairmen are an illegality and every money spent must be accounted for at due time.
“The idea of joint account is criminal and that’s the avenue through which the allocation of the LGAs are frittered away. In all the LGAs in Ebonyi State there are no single social services going on, no water projects, no sanitation, no educational programmes, just nothing going on.
“Aside from the welfare of the Chairmen and the token on tokunbo vehicles given to Councillors in some LGAs, you can’t really say that there is a local government system in place in Ebonyi State today. Whereas, the LGA is a 3rd tier of government with clear delineation of responsibilities, but none of those responsibilities is carried out by LGA administrations in Ebonyi State. The situation is unfortunate, sad and not sustainable. Ends.