The Mayor of Port Harcourt, Hon. Chimbiko Akarolo has decried the way Rivers State government is using the State House of Assembly to deduct money on the revenue allocation from the Federal Account to the third tier of government (local government).
He said this at the Port Harcourt City Council Hall, shortly after inaugurating committees to serve under supervising councilors in the local government.
In his speech, Chimbiko said in some months, before the arrival of the funds, the chairmen will reach their collection point only to find out that 2%, 4% or even 10% of the allocation has been cut off in the same of legislative assembly decision and there is nothing the chairmen could do.
He has it that this has incapacitated the local government council chairmen, making them not to be able to meet up to what they suppose to do in the LGA.
Chimbiko blamed this on the combined account which the state and the local governments are operating.
The Mayor said that if their account is separated, this will stop and asked the power that be to look into a way to separate local government account from state government account.
According to him, those who do not understand their predicament will hold them guilty for not performing, not knowing that not all that the federal government gave out, really entered their hands.
He used the medium to inform residents ofPort Harcourtto obey persons coming to them in the name of the council in good faith as they are coming to them for good and not for bad. ###
Mene Gbarabe
