Councillor Resigns In Anger, Says State Govt Hijacked Council Funds
Hon. Victor Ngwakwe, leader of the Osisioma Ngwa Legislative Council, has resigned in protest, accusing the Abia State Government of seizing control of local government finances and leaving councillors powerless.
Ngwakwe, who represents Osokwa Ward, said councillors have been under intense pressure from constituents to deliver basic amenities but lack access to funds.
Our people are not asking for much. They just want the basic things government is supposed to do for them,” he lamented.
“But the grassroots don’t know the people at the state level — they only have access to their councillors, who unfortunately have no funds to work with.”
He accused the state government of breaching the 1999 Constitution and the Local Government Act by managing council funds directly from Umuahia.
“Everything is done at Government House in Umuahia, which is against what’s clearly stated in the Constitution,” he said.
Another councillor, who preferred to remain anonymous, corroborated Ngwakwe’s claims, revealing that they only receive N240,000 monthly and have no say in how council funds are used.
“We don’t participate in projects, we don’t know how much funding is allocated for projects, or how it’s being spent or executed. We don’t know anything that concerns money that happens in the local government,” he said.
He added that Ngwakwe’s outcry over lack of transparency triggered his forced resignation.
“They insisted that my leader must resign because he made a post saying we don’t know how the council gets N500 million or N400 million while we receive just N240,000 monthly.”
The councillor also condemned the widespread sycophancy among his colleagues. “Sycophancy is too common among councillors here in Abia State,” he said.
Ngwakwe’s resignation has sparked outrage and renewed calls for accountability in local government administration.
The Abia State Government has yet to comment on the development, while the deputy leader has stepped in as acting head of the council
