3 weeks ago
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The Abia State government has called on members of the Nigeria Labour Congress to call her leaders to order following a letter accusing Governor Alex Otti of allegedly planning to interfere with local government funds in the state.
The call was contained in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma.
He stated that the letter, signed by the NLC chairman, Mr Okoro Ogbonnaya, and Secretary, Mr Emma Alozie, and addressed to the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa.
Ekeoma added that the NLC alleged that there is a bill sent to the House of Assembly by the state executive seeking to cede 90 per cent of local government funds to the state leaving the local councils with 10 per cent.
He pointed out that at no time did the executive arm of government, led by Governor Otti send any Bill to the House of Assembly seeking to get 90 per cent of local government allocation ceded to the state.
The governor’s aide challenged the NLC leadership, who fell prey to the mischievous and unsubstantiated fake news being circulated by some opposition elements in the state, to provide any documentary evidence to back up its claim.
The statement reads, “Ordinarily, we wouldn’t have bothered getting involved since the letter was written to the legislative arm of government, however, we were taken aback by a disrespectful and baseless statement in the letter, where the Speaker was enjoined not to allow the governor ‘mislead’ him.
“Before the NLC wrote its letter, the Deputy Speaker of the House, who also doubles as the House Committee Chairman on Information, Rt. Hon. Austin Okezie Meregini had while addressing journalists on Thursday, October 24, clarified this, following speculations that the House passed a law to tamper with local government funds.
“The Deputy Speaker emphatically explained that the rumour is false and went on to explain that the bill, brought by the governor, is designed to benefit local government without usurping their funds or violating the Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy.
“The bill is for the establishment of the Abia State Rural Access Road Agency, which is part of the World Bank’s Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project, and noted that similar bills have already been passed in states like Ebonyi, Kwara, and Sokoto, with RAAMP receiving funding from the World Bank, the International Finance Agency, and the French Agency for Development.
“The Deputy Speaker further explained that both state and local governments are expected to contribute counterpart funding for road construction, but assured that this does not mean the state will control local government funds. He also dismissed the false claim that some members of the House staged a walkout, and made it clear that there was no walkout, as all members, including the opposition, were present during the session.
“Shouldn’t a reputable body like the NLC have written a letter of clarification to the House to obtain the correct information instead of hastily rushing to the media to misrepresent the government and disinform the public? Shouldn’t the authors of the letter have been more careful, more cautious and more informed before speaking on the issue?
“The government wishes to remind the leadership of the NLC in the state that exhibiting unprovoked hostile disposition and acting maliciously and irrationally based on misinformation from rumour mongers to the point of distorting or challenging government’s noble policies and programmes geared towards advancing the welfare of all Abians, is an unpopular route they shouldn’t travel through because Abia workers and millions of other Abians are discerning enough to differentiate between media clout chasing and pro-people altruism.
“We call on workers in Abia State to call their leadership to order as it has constituted itself into a channel for peddling fake news, moreso in an area that has nothing to do with the welfare of its members.
“Finally, we wish to state that Governor Otti’s administration’s determination to disrupt the destructive old order in Abia State and ignite a new phase of productivity and holistic development in all spheres, is one driven by altruism, passion, commitment and courage, hence Abians are enjoined not to pay attention to cheap distractions and falsehood aimed at creating unnecessary tension and disaffection in the polity. Our assurance is that this government will remain focused and single-minded in delivering to our people.”
