The Chairman of Yakurr Local Government Area and Cross River State ALGON Chairman, Chief Yibala Inyang, has dismissed claims of underfunding of local governments in the state, saying the councils are enjoying their best funding and partnership with the state government under Governor Bassey Edet Otu.
Inyang said the Otu administration had empowered local governments to execute development projects and collaborate with the state government in critical areas, including healthcare, sanitation, security and infrastructure.
He spoke in reaction to claims of underfunding and worsening poverty at the grassroots attributed to the factional PDP governorship candidate, Sir Arthur Jarvis, at a press conference held at the NUJ Secretariat in Calabar on Thursday.
The ALGON chairman described the claims as unfounded, insisting that local government funds were being properly utilised for development across the 18 council areas.
He said, “That is a total fallacy because the local governments are having the best in terms of funding. In this administration, we have the power to the level that local governments are doing projects and partnering with the state to intervene in critical areas such as health, sanitation, local security and infrastructural development.”
According to him, the state and local governments operate a joint account in accordance with the enabling law, which he said had helped some councils meet their financial obligations, particularly when statutory allocations were insufficient.
He added that no local government in the state was owing workers’ salaries under the present administration.
“Being autonomous in a system entails accessing your funds as and when due, utilising them properly, ensuring that all staff of local governments get their due and carrying out welfare programmes for the people.
“To me, autonomy is just semantics. The performance and dividends that accrue from it are the most important things. That is why I said local government funds have been equitably distributed and well circulated around the local governments. We are not starved of funds,” he said.
Inyang maintained that the Otu administration was the first in the state to allow local governments to deploy their funds to development projects and interventions in their respective communities without undue interference.
“This is the first time in the history of Cross River that you have a governor who allows funds meant for local governments to be used to carry out developmental projects and interventions in our various wards.
“So, I do not know why anybody should allege that local government funds are being diverted. To where?” he asked.
Highlighting projects executed by his administration in Yakurr, Inyang said the council had embarked on road construction, drainage projects, culverts, rehabilitation of public facilities and empowerment programmes across the 13 wards.
He said several culverts had been constructed in Ekori, while a mini bridge was built in Nko, Abankpai Ward. He also listed the rehabilitation of the Nko Modern Market in Nkpolo Ward and the ongoing construction of a modern market in Ekori among the projects.
According to him, the council also constructed culverts around Ijom near the General Hospital in Ugep, including a double decker culvert that had collapsed before his administration came into office.
“We are constructing a new PHC in Ijiman Ward in Ugep through community and local government partnership. The construction of a mini pavilion in the Ugep Stadium has been completed, while the one in Mkpani community is near completion.
“We are about to commence the rehabilitation of some structures in most of our schools. We have rehabilitated the stadium at Ugep. There was no drainage to direct water, but we have done all that,” he said.
Inyang said the state government was complementing the efforts of local councils through major road projects in Ugep Urban, with Ekori and Idomi expected to benefit subsequently.
He added that similar projects were being executed by other local governments across the state, describing them as evidence of the utilisation of council funds for grassroots development.
“We cannot play politics with what you cannot prove with evidence. Politicians who are looking for favour should be objective and stop subtle blackmail and old style propaganda,” he said.
On the welfare of local government workers, Inyang said salaries had been paid promptly, while civil servants had continued to receive imprest.
“Since we came on board at the local government, we have been paying imprest to civil servants, salaries have been paid completely and no local government is owing. If anybody is saying so, they should bring out the facts and show how far the local government is owing,” he said.
On security, the ALGON chairman said council chairmen had played significant roles in managing security challenges within their respective areas.
He said communal conflicts that were previously common in some parts of the state had been brought under control through collaboration between local governments and the state government.
According to him, such cooperation was necessary because security challenges in one local government could easily spread to neighbouring councils and eventually become a state wide problem.
He therefore urged political opponents preparing for the 2027 elections to focus on issues rather than misinformation and blackmail.
“For opposition politicians seeking political offices in 2027, they should outgrow this politics of blackmail and misinformation and focus on what they think they can do better.
“If they really have the interest of this state and think they want to govern the state, let them tell us what we have not done and how well they will do it if given the opportunity,” he said.
Inyang also cited the administration’s efforts to attract development to the state, including its interventions in the oil well dispute, Tinapa and agricultural estates, as achievements he said should be acknowledged.
Reacting specifically to Jarvis’ one term campaign message, Inyang questioned his preparedness for the governorship, saying governing a state required broad administrative and political experience.
“I do not think he is fit to run half a term, not to talk of one full term. Arthur Jarvis should first prove that he can run government, not run a school.
“Governance of a state is more in depth and requires enough experience and exposure in various political and public offices of high repute,” he said.
The ALGON chairman, however, praised Governor Otu for what he described as prudent and people oriented governance, saying the administration’s achievements demonstrated that it remained capable of leading the state.
“Our governor, His Excellency, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, has demonstrated the qualities of a prudent administrator with a people oriented governance mentality. His achievements within this first tenure can attest to the fact that he is the real person Cross River State deserves at the moment,” Inyang concluded.