LG Autonomy: Disquiet In C' River Councils Over Salary Structure, Overhead Cost ...As 14 LGAs Reject N1.5m Legislative Vote
By Ndifereke BASSEY, Ebi COLLINS and Ekanem ASUQUO
THERE is disquiet at Cross River state local government councils as Governor Bassey Otu has continued to allegedly maintain a stronghold on federal allocations meant for the running of grassroots' adminstration.
Growing expectations from Cross Riverians 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.
The setback is attributable to prevailing development strongly indicating that the Otu-led administration in Cross River is not in a hurry to let go of the statutory allocations meant for the 18 local government areas, at least for now.
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.
CHECKS BY THE BEAGLE NEWS
Findings by THE BEAGLES NEWS revealed that rather than complying with the Supreme Court ruling barring governors from tempering 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.
Further findings revealed that the 18 local government councils are yet to assess 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.
However, though the investment did not follow due process, and it amounts to shaving a man's hair in his absence, the aircrafts are still being expected in Calabar.
Visits by our reporters to the various local government headquarters across the state showed that the present administration at the grassroots is battling to take off, and waiting for the crumbs from the nefarious Joint Account and Allocation Committee (JACC) meeting to find their bearings.
Further findings revealed that the November salaries for elected and political appointees at the grassroots fell below expectations and the officials are complaining in muffled voices for fear of witch haunt by powers-that-be.
Checks showed that during former Governor Ben Ayade adminstration, local government elected and appointed officers earned as follows Chairmen about N300k, Leader of legislative Council earned N220, 000, Councillors about N200k while legislative vote was about N1.5m and from there N150k goes to Leader, N100k to each councillor and the remaining for other legislative officers and running cost.
Besides, the PAs to the leader went home with N80k, Protocol to leader N120k while supervisors earned earned N130k and Secretary to Council N140k.
But further checks, following the new adminstration that took off November 3, 2024, showed that chairman earns about N300k, Leader N220,000, Councillor about 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.
REACTIONS TRAIL SALARY, LEGISLATIVE VOTE
Checks again showed that elected and political other political appointees at the grassroots are piqued at the salary scale, arguing that with the huge sum of federal allocations coming into various councils monthly, they should have gone home with something substantial and rewarding as they were all supportive of Governor Otu during electioneering.
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"
"The day he read out the list of candidates at Hogis Hotel, he stated it 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 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 state government. I can tell you that about 14 legislative councils are kicking against such paltry sum as legislative vote. We are still consulting and make our stand public.
"My greatest concern is the Chairmen. How would they explain the outcome to EFFC when the time comes" He queried.
Relevant government officials and party chieftains contacted 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.
