Imo LG chairmen, their unbridled penchants for greed, selfishness

 

Alozie, Koke Brutus

 

Although, the Imo State Government is yet to grant full financial autonomy to the 27 local government areas, the burning greed in our chairmen is forcing most Imolites not to regret the non-autonomous status of the councils. They are really justifying the use of Caretaker Committees to run the councils.

Honestly, these chairmen are too greedy and selfish to be allowed unfettered access to over N300 million monthly allocation. Most of them are not democratic; they don’t allow the councillors to do their jobs. Their dictatorial tendencies are sickening.

How can they expect full financial autonomy from the governor when they are too greedy to use public funds judiciously for the common good?

In December 2024, N100 million was released to all the LGA Chairmen. 10 per cent of this fund was for running cost while 90 per cent was for grading of rural roads.

Information gathered showed that the governor directed the LG chairmen to give each Ward Councilor the sum of N6 million to handle the grading of the rural roads within their Wards but unfortunately, the Devil had his way as usual. It is disheartening to note that less than 5 per cent of the chairmen complied with that directive.

While majority of the chairmen handled the road grading by themselves, some are yet to carry out any road grading in the rural communities. This is naked display of wickedness! Sidelining and frustrating the councilors can pitch them against their own people because they will be seen as _Mugus_ who close their mouths and eyes while LG treasuries are being raped to coma.

Is this a kind of sabotage against Gov Hope Uzodimma and his government or what? I thought all the selected chairmen are governor’s trusted allies? Then, why are they sabotaging his little efforts to bring governance and development closer to the people in line with his Shared Prosperity mantra?

Verily, councilors are not only dying of hunger and starvation, they are also afraid of appearing in public functions because of fear of their angry constituents. They can’t feed their families and help some friends that stood by them during campaigns.

To worsen the ugly situation, the councilors are just roaming about the councils, without carrying out their legislative functions. Billions of naira budgets have been presented by these overbearing chairmen but the councilors are yet to discuss and approve them. But the chairmen have been spending money since then. Where are they getting the money they are spending?

The councilors make up the Legislative Council which is the pillar of democracy at the grassroots. But they are not sitting to carry out legislative functions like presentation of bills and motions, approval of budgets, committee works, invitation of people to appear before the Legislative Council to clarify on issues especially now that the fraudulent sale of AHIAZU BAKERY at MPAM is raising dusts more than the NATASHA saga.

What stops the Ahiazu Legislative Council from summoning the Head of Works Department, Supervisory Councilor for Works, DAGS, the Chairman and other relevant persons to appear before it and clear the air on the purported sale of a public asset of the magnitude without due process? Are these councilors seeing themselves as errand boys of the Chairman or what? If the Leader of the Council has chosen to remain in bondage, he should be impeached and replaced with a vibrant person who knows how to serve the people and not the chairman.

How can we be calling for full autonomy for our LGAs when most of the chairmen are still struggling with unquenchable greed? How can we be talking about financial autonomy when our councilors are all deaf and dumb in the face of the lawlessness and covetousness of the chairman? Are these our grassroot legislators _Mumu_ or what? Apiri ha niile api ka obudi gini? Ha makwa ndi ha bu?

Is this how we will bring development to our rural communities? Is this how we are going to make Nigeria an El dorado for our children? What legacies are we living behind for our children?

Chineke, Ejikwa m Ogu ooo!

Alozie, Koke Brutus, a public affairs analyst, writes from Ahiazu Mbaise