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Abia Government Fires Back: “NLC Claims on Local Government Funds Are False!”

Published by Tope Fakinlede on October 27th, 2024.

Abia Government Fires Back: “NLC Claims on Local Government Funds Are False!”

The Abia State Government has firmly denied allegations that it submitted a bill to the House of Assembly seeking to allocate 90% of local government funds to the state, leaving only 10% for local councils.

This statement comes in response to a letter from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abia, which urged the Speaker to reject the alleged bill and warned against any misleading actions by the governor.

Ferdinand Ekeoma, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, criticized the NLC leadership for acting on unverified information rather than seeking clarification. He emphasized that no such bill had been sent to the Assembly and challenged the NLC to provide evidence supporting its claims.

Ekeoma accused the NLC of responding with hostility and misinformation, asserting that their actions could distort government initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of Abia residents.

He further explained that prior to the NLC’s letter, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Austin Okezie Meregini, had clarified to the press that there was no law passed to alter local government funding. Instead, he stated that the bill proposed by the governor was intended to establish the Abia State Rural Access Road Agency, part of a World Bank project aimed at improving rural infrastructure.

Meregini noted that similar legislation has been successfully enacted in other states, including Ebonyi, Kwara, and Sokoto. He assured that the bill would not infringe upon local government autonomy and that both state and local governments would share funding responsibilities for road projects. Additionally, he dismissed rumors of a walkout by House members during discussions, confirming that all members were present, including those from the opposition.