By Chimaobi Afiauwa for MUK TV, Umuahia
Sir Mascot Uzor Kalu, the 2027 governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, has condemned what he described as the undemocratic withholding of local government funds by the administration of Governor Alex Otti, warning that such a retardative practice is crippling grassroots development across the state.
Speaking on Don FM 103.7MHz, Umuahia, during the political affairs programme The Agenda, the former Abia Chief of Staff accused the state government of starving local councils of resources needed to serve the people, despite unprecedented increases in federal allocations.
According to Kalu, the surge in revenue following the removal of fuel subsidy under President Bola Tinubu has not translated into relief for ordinary citizens because governors are allegedly failing to manage and disburse funds prudently.
“The amount of funds coming into the states has never happened before. For the first time, you see most Southeastern states having budgets above ₦1 trillion. It has never happened. The funds coming in are enormous.
“I believe that a lot of the anger in the land is also because governors are not doing what they are supposed to do.
“Take, for example, Abia: the local governments do not receive their funds. The local governments are the closest tier of government to everyday Abians. When you look at this, you see that these are the things hampering development and making life very difficult for the people. These are the problems we are having with the state, and they are increasing hunger.”
Kalu dismissed Governor Otti’s defence that projects are executed through the state–local government Jacc account, describing it as weak and unconstitutional.
He argued that the governor should not withhold local government funds, stressing that even the President does not impose such conditions on states.
“The President does not withhold states’ allocations and ask governors to show project proposals before releasing funds.
“When I was Chief of Staff, we enacted the state–local government joint project law, which stipulated how to fund projects, allowing for contributions from both the state and the LGs. But that did not stop local government chairmen from coming to Umuahia and returning to their various council areas with their cheques. If there was a joint project, you deducted it from JAAC to the joint account, and the balance was sent to the LGs.
“You cannot have elected local government chairmen and councillors and yet starve them of their funds. You are starving them of the ability to do their jobs.”
The APC governorship hopeful warned that continued denial of local government funds would only deepen poverty and discontent in Abia, insisting that actual development must begin from the grassroots.
