Despite the Supreme Court judgement that gave full and unfettered financial autonomy to local government chairmen in the country, the governor of Cross River State is still in full control of allocations to the 18 local governments.
This explains why the chairmen are not able to execute any project. Only penultimate week, the governor moved to renovate a mini civic centre in Ekori, Yakurr Local Government, a project that ought to be handled by the local government.
A few weeks ago, councillors were seen in front of their bushy legislative chambers posing for a picture for the world to see how unkempt their offices were, as the council chairman was unable to release funds for grasses to be cleared around the building.
Some weeks ago, also, the governor proudly announced to the world that he was approving a grant of N10million to each of the councillors in the state to enable them buy a car for themselves, another pointer to the fact that he was in control of the local government funds.
This newspaper gathered that every month, Governor Otu compels the chairmen and surrender their allocation to the state, after which between N70 million and N80 million would be given to them to run the councils and also pay the workers, most of who do not go to work at all, just like the chairmen who operate from the state capital.
Our findings show that the governor retains between N500million and 800 million belonging to each local government in the state on a monthly basis. His Chief of Staff, Dr Emmanuel Ironbar, is said to be in charge of the local government funds.
Sources said the office of governor’s wife, Eyoanwan Bassey Otu, an acclaimed bishop, benefits from the local government funds, as her needs and requests are met through those funds.
From the N80 released to them, The Shark learnt that the chairmen resolved to get into osusu, a local contribution among themselves, to enable them make savings, as they do not have access to their resources.
The least each of the chairmen contribute in the osusu club is N10m. Some of them are known to be contributing up to N20 million.
Although, the governor, who claims to be an apostle, has acquired several property for himself from the local government funds, with the assistance of the chief of staff as well as his special assistant on special duties, Bassey Akiba.
Unfortunately, none of the chairmen is willing to make a case out of the issue, for fear of being sacked by the governor who personally hand-picked and made them chairmen.
One of them told The Shark that “we are suffering in silence. Yes, it is true that we are not in control of our allocation from the federation account. Whatever the governor releases to us is what we get.
“We are even grateful, afterall if he did not put us there, we would not have become chairmen. So, we cannot challenge him. Anybody who dares talk about it openly should be ready to face the consequences. I like the job for as along as it will last. So, I cannot talk openly.”
