Council chairmen in Akwa Ibom stranded over inaccessibility to allocation from FAAC

*11 LG Councils in dire financial distress

BY DENNIS UDOMA

Local Government Councils in Akwa Ibom State are facing severe financial hardship following their inability to have direct access to statutory allocations from the Federation Account.

This is despite the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling granting financial autonomy to local government councils over two years ago.

Recall President Tinubu had prior to this report warned the State Governors to desist from fingering Local Government funds, as the federal government would not hesitate to pay the councils directly from the federation account.

Findings reveal that, after paying workers’ salaries for January, several councils have been left stranded, with development projects stalled and contractors abandoning sites due to lack of funds.

The councils said to be worst hit include Etim Ekpo, Ukanafun, Esit Eket, Nsit Ubium, Oruk Anam, Abak, Ibesikpo Asutan, Uyo, Ikono and Eastern Obolo local government areas.

A serving Council Chairman, who spoke under anonymity alleged that, the state government still controls local government finances through the Joint Account system, which he said remains in operation despite the Supreme Court’s ruling on local government autonomy.

According to him, councils no longer receive full statutory allocations, resulting in widespread financial distress.

“Some local governments are no longer getting substantial amounts from the state. This has left councils financially crippled,” he said.

He cited a case where a council that previously received about N180 million monthly now got only N120 million after deductions at the Joint Account level.

“With such reductions, we are forced to suspend projects. There is hardly any money left for administration or development,” he added.

In Ikono Local Government Area, the financial crisis has reportedly triggered political tension, as councillors have served an impeachment notice on the chairman, Engr. Otobong Essien, over alleged failure to deliver on campaign promises, which they blame on poor funding.

Sources further disclosed that inadequate funding has affected all 31 local government areas in the state.

A stakeholder in Esit Eket Local Government, who also spoke anonymously, lamented that council chairmen were helpless and unable to challenge the system.

“Our council chairmen are suffering and laughing. They cannot even fight for their rights, even when the Supreme Court has already granted them autonomy,” he said.

Reacting to the allegations, the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information, Hon. Aniekan Umanah, denied that the state government was interfering with council funds.

He insisted that Governor Umo Eno has not tampered with local government allocations, stressing that the funds remain “untouchable.”

“Governor Umo Eno has made it clear in different fora that local government funds are not interfered with. Chairmen have the freedom to manage their resources for development,” Umanah said.

He added that decisions on projects are reached collectively at the Joint Account Committee, where both the state government and council chairmen agree on how funds are deployed for development across the local government areas.

Despite these assurances, many councils continue to struggle to meet their obligations, raising fresh concerns over the true state of local government autonomy in Akwa Ibom State.