Osisioma Ngwa LG councillors resigns,accuses Abia <\/a>govt of blocking funds<\/p>\n The leader of the Osisioma Ngwa Legislative Council in Abia <\/a>State, Victor Ngwakwe, has resigned from his position after alleging that the Abia <\/a>State Government has completely taken over local government finances, leaving councillors powerless and without funds to execute basic community projects.<\/p>\n Ngwakwe, who represents Osokwa Ward, expressed frustration over the continuous denial of access to local government funds, saying the development has crippled governance at the grassroots level.<\/p>\n Speaking on his decision to step down, Ngwakwe said, \u201cOur people are not asking for much. They just want the basic things government is supposed to do for them. But the grassroots don\u2019t know the people at the state level \u2014 they only have access to their councillors, who unfortunately have no funds to work with.\u201d<\/p>\n He accused the state government of violating the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Local Government Act by taking full control of local government allocations from Umuahia, instead of allowing councils to manage their own finances.<\/p>\n \u201cEverything is done at Government House in Umuahia, which is against what\u2019s clearly stated in the Constitution,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Ngwakwe\u2019s resignation has drawn attention to the long-standing issue of local government autonomy in Abia <\/a>State. Many councillors have reportedly complained of financial restrictions that make it difficult to carry out their responsibilities to their communities.<\/p>\n Another councillor, who spoke anonymously, confirmed the claim, revealing that councillors are paid as little as N240,000 monthly, with no involvement in budget or project decisions.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we\u2019re being paid is N240,000 as councillors, and it\u2019s not helping matters. We don\u2019t participate in projects, we don\u2019t know how much funding is allocated or how it\u2019s being spent. We don\u2019t even know how much comes into the council,\u201d the councillor lamented.<\/p>\n He further stated that councillors in Abia <\/a>do not perform their constitutional duties, such as budget approval, oversight, or fund appropriation. \u201cWe don\u2019t pass the budget, we don\u2019t appropriate or oversee funds. We just wake up to see that a project has started somewhere without our knowledge,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n The councillor disclosed that the crisis in Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area intensified after Ngwakwe publicly questioned how councils receive over N400 million monthly, yet councillors only get small stipends.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s why they insisted that our leader must resign. He posted that we don\u2019t even know how the local government gets N500 million or N400 million, and still, we end up with N240,000. So he resigned a few days ago,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He also criticized what he described as the growing \u201csycophancy\u201d among councillors in the state, adding that many are afraid to speak up for fear of political backlash. \u201cSycophancy is too common among councillors here in Abia <\/a>State,\u201d he lamented.<\/p>\n