Crisis Brewing in C’River State as LG Councils Reject N1.5m Legislative Vote
…Worried Over Salary Structure, Overhead Cost
Crisis is gradually creeping in between the local government councils of Cross River State and the state governor, Prince Bassey Otu over his alleged stronghold on the Federal allocations meant for the third tier of government.
This, followed a report that the Otu-led administration is not in a hurry to let go of the statutory allocations meant for the 18 local government areas, at least for now.
Recall that it was reported that Governor Otu handpicked the current leadership of the 18 local government areas in the state including the councilors without input from both the federal and the state lawmakers of the All Progressive Congress (APC). Therefore, the complaint of Governor Otu maintaining a stronghold of the federal allocations might just be the beginning of what the local government councils should expect.
However, expectations from Cross Riverians after the Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy that the third tier of government would henceforth exercise the liberty to evolve and implement viable projects and programmes capable of driving economic development across the state are gradually fizzling out.
Statistics obtained from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) showed that Cross River state received the Net sum of N8,433,013,821.89 as October 2024 monthly allocation while the 18 local government areas received a net total sum of N7,012,321,968.77.
The summary of Revenue Allocation by Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAC) for the month of October 2024 shared in November, 2024 as published by Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Federation Account Department, shows that Akpabuyo local government area got the highest amount of N467, 881,461.91, followed by Boki with N430,123,542.17 and Akamkpa N418, 640, 268,.90.
Eagles News revealed that rather than complying with the Supreme Court ruling barring governors from tampering with local government allocations, the state government is not only exerting vice grip on the allocation, but also dictating the sharing formula for each council, irrespective of infrastructural needs or economic indicators demanding urgent need to provide basic amenities needed to add values and meaning to lives in the rural communities.
It further reported that the 18 local government councils are yet to access any direct allocation or the backlog which the governor openly declared was intact, apart from using a meagre percentage for investment by purportedly procuring additional aircrafts to boost the fleet of Cally Air.
Core Reporters can authoritatively report that various local government councils are battling to take off because theybare yet to find their bearings despite the celebrated autonomy.
An impeccable source told this reporter that the November 2024 salaries for elected and political appointees at the local councils fell below expectations, adding that the officials are complaining in muffled voices for fear of been witch haunted by the governor
Recall also that during former Governor Ben Ayade administration, local government elected and appointed officers earned as follows; Chairmen N300, 000, Leader of legislative Council earned N220, 000, Councillors about N200, 000, while legislative vote was about N1.5m and from there N150, 000 goes to Leader, N100, 000 to each councillor and the remaining for other legislative officers and running cost.
Also, the PAs to the leader went home with N80, 000, Protocol to leader N120, 000 while supervisors earned N130, 000 and Secretary to Council N140, 000.
Investigation revealed that despite the purported direct federal allocations to the LG’s authorities, councils chairmen are still collecting N300, 000, Leader of the council still maintaining N220, 000, while councillors instead of their former N200, 000 under Ayade ‘s administration they are now receiving N197, 000.
Appointees such as Council Supervisor is paid the sum of N128, 000 as monthly salary, and Chief Press Secretary (CPS) goes home with N117, 000 while Legislative vote is about N1.5m.
The question begging for answer now is local government autonomy really applicable in Cross River State?
There are indications that the pressure from the appointees of local governments will result to the council’s chairmen planning a payback to the governor during the 2027 gubernatorial election.
The councillors are particularly angry that a paltry sum of about N1.5m is dished out to them as legislative vote, wondering how such amount will carry through in performing their legislative functions.
According to a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC from the central senatorial district, who simply gave his name as Ntufam Victor Agbor, said: “We knew from the outset when the Governor and his powerful kitchen cabinet, in an unprecedented move selected all the chairmanship and councillorship candidates for that shambolic local government election, without inputs from any other stakeholders from the deputy governor, serving and retired NASS members, federal and state cabinet members and party hierarchy”
Eagles News reported that governor Otu had earlier played down the Supreme Court rulingon localgovernmentautonomy saying, “The day he read out the list of candidates at Hogis Hotel, he stated point blank that there’s nothing like local government autonomy in Cross River State.
“His posture explained why he selected his cronies to lead the councils because they won’t have the balls to cough no matter what happens, rather they would catch cold whenever Otu sneeze”
A principal officer in one of the Local government areas in Cross River North, who opted not to have his name in print, said: “We are in an uncertain situation as far as funding is concerned.
“After the chairmen were inaugurated, they were promised N50m each as take off grants to fix their offices, council’s secretariat since most of them were in deplorable conditions.
“That didn’t happen. Rather, they got N10m to facilitate the swearing in of Vice Chairmen and the councillors. But there are indications that the N10m was a loan.
“The whole administration of our statutory allocation is shrouded in secrecy. We are merely seeing the amount in the media.
“We later got N4 million as running cost for November. The most provocative is the salary structure and the legislative vote based on Ayade’s scale. Each of the councils got between N1.5 million. About 14 LGAs have rejected the vote.
“The salary structure is laughable. Chairmen are expected to earn N300,000, Vice Chairmen N280, Leaders/Secretary N240 and we the lawmakers N180.00.
“Least is N80,000 for some appointees. Can you imagine such an amount in the face of growing hardship?
Another top local government elected officers, who don’t want his name in print, revealed that sources from Government House told him that the state government is disbursing N60m to each council to cover running cost and security votes.
“I don’t think we, the councillors, will fold our hands and watch this. We may be pushed into protesting openly against such financial strangulation even as President Tinubu is releasing enough funds to the state government. I can tell you that about 14 legislative councils are kicking against such paltry sums as legislative votes. We are still consulting and making our stand public.
“My greatest concern is the Chairmen. How would they explain the outcome to EFCC when the time comes” He queried.
Relevant government officials and party chieftains maintained sealed lips, stressing, however, that hasty conclusion on the implementation of financial autonomy for local government councils in the state was not necessary at the moment.
Core Reporters asked with the current happening in the state between the governor and the councils on financial autonomy, who will blink first?
