Transparency, accountability in Imo: Calls to open the books on local government spending

Since Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, the member representing Ideato North and Ideato South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, publicly challenged Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, to account for the billions of naira allocated to local governments, the call for transparency has continued to grow louder.

Several civic groups, stakeholders, and concerned citizens have joined in demanding that the state government explain how the monthly allocations meant for local councils are being managed.

Ugochinyere, in the wake of Ideato killings a few months ago, had accused Uzodimma of aiding the massacre of his people by not properly utilizing the monthly allocation accruing to the two Local Government Areas from the Federal Government.

The lawmaker insisted that had as little as 25% of what the two Ideato local councils get from the Federal Government been allowed to bring them monthly, the insecurity situation that gave rise to the unfortunate killings at the market square would not have taken place.

According to him, joblessness leads to insecurity, and insecurity is the mother of killings and other multiple crimes. He noted that the least both LGAs receive from the Federation Account monthly was in the region of almost a billion naira. He revealed that with accountability, transparency, and vision, a governor with administrative ingenuity would have worked out employment opportunities that would have meaningfully created jobs for the youths.

With job creation, Ugochinyere stated that the youths would have been systematically kept off the streets, and the brutal killing that took place would not have occurred.

In light of the foregoing, the Federal House of Representatives member called on Uzodimma to render a graphic account of all the money he has been receiving meant to develop the councils. “I am particular! I am calling Gov Hope Uzodimma to urgently account the billions of monthly LGA  allocations meant for the two LGAS – Ideato North and Ideato South – that I represent at the Federal House”, Ugochinyere enthused.

Following Ugochinyere’s clarion call, other well-meaning citizens of the state have equally urged Uzodimma to open the books on local government spending. Prince Udo Nnaji hails from Okwuato in Aboh Mbaise LGA. He stated thus, “There are hundreds of millions of naira allocations from the Federation Account meant for my LGA, Aboh Mbaise, yet we do not feel such a mouthwatering amount of money.

“Some of the worst road networks are located in Aboh Mbaise. The three-year most important projects in Aboh Mbaise, namely the local government headquarters, the Mbaise Secondary School, and the Mbaise General Hospital, are almost extinguished due to bad roads. Sadly, the very important road  – the Ahiara Junction, Aboh, Ezinihitte, Okpala Road – connecting these three facilities is in deplorable condition. Therefore, we want to know what Uzodimma is spending the monthly allocations on.

Also, Chief Okiahia Chikamma from Isiala Mbano noted that “The insecurity threatening the foundation of Okigwe Zone and Imo State as a whole is a result of the ineffectiveness of the governor, who does nothing about community development.

“For instance, all the traditional markets in Aboh Mbaise are dilapidated, yet the governor does not deem it fit to utilize the LGA resources to rebuild these markets. It is the same with public schools and health centres that have collapsed without the governor caring a hoot”.