House of Reps member tackles council boss over N400m funds
The Federal Lawmaker Representing Ideato North & South Federal Constituency, Ikenga Ugochinyere, has raised the alarm over an alleged mismanagement of funds meant for the development of the local government areas in the constituency.
Speaking during a visit to affected communities, Ugochinyere expressed concern that despite the huge sums allocated monthly, residents still lacked basic amenities, adding that local government officials were living outside their areas, abandoning the people they were elected to serve.
“Now the local government people are living in Owerri. If local government officials are living in Owerri, how do the people there survive? “He asked.
The lawmaker revealed that he had personally set up an emergency fund to assist victims of terrorist attacks in communities, stressing the the initiate is to the affected families “Our target is to raise 50 million naira to support this family and by God’s grace before the next four five days we will cross that mark,” he stated.
He lamented that some victims including children lost their parents while others suffered serious injuries. “Even the ₦5m Grant we dispose to them is not enough. There are children within one year of existence who were shot on the leg. The mother and the father was also killed,” he recounted.
Ugochinyere accused the local governments of failing to provide essential services despite receiving large monthly allocations. “Ideato North and South that receive ₦400m plus every 30 days, they must feel the impact of that resources, it’s a must,” he said.
The lawmaker complained about the lack of clean water, electricity, and functional schools in many communities. “Our school has collapsed… I’m on the street every day sinking water ball… doing transformers, doing schools,” he said.
The lawmaker demanded accountability from local government officials. “The world must know my people receive ₦400m every month but they don’t have any sign of it… and it’s gotten to a point that we can no longer take it,” he said.
When called on phone for reaction, the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Chief MbadiweEmelumba said that Ugochinyere’s allegations were not true. He only described the Federal Lawmaker as a propagandist.
He said,” If Ugochinyere is sure of the allegations he is saying, let him produce an evidential document to prove his case. Leave Ugochinyere alone for all the thing he has been saying about the State Government are never on the positive side. He is just a propagandist”.
