Amaechi Probes LGs’ Performance Lambasts Chairmen

Celestine Ogolo

Worried by reports of non performance by chairmen of the 23 local government areas of Rivers State, the state Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has announced the setting up of a committee to assess the performance of the councils in the last 16 months
Governor Amaechi made the announcement this week during the monthly inter governmental forum held at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Port Harcourt.
The committee which is headed by the sole administrator of the Greater Port Harcourt City, Mrs Aleruchi Cookey-Gam has the Commissioner for Water Resources, Ms Patricia Simon Hart, Women Affairs Commissioner, Emmanuela Izunwa, Education Commissioner, Alice Nemi as members.
Others in the committee are the head of Service, Mrs Esther Anucha, General Manager of Rivers State Broadcasting Corporation, Ms Mediline Tador, Ms Constance Sarowinyo, Chima Eke and the Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Local Government Affairs, Dr Tammy Danagogo.
Speaking at the forum, Governor Amaechi lambasted the chairmen of local government councils for being profligate with their monthly allocations and urged the committee to turn in their report before the end of September.
He wondered what the council bosses were doing with their funds inspite of the fact that the government took away the burden of paying salaries of teachers and health workers from them.
The state chief executive lamented that the over N1billion expenditure which had been taken off the shoulders of the LG councils is not been felt by the people in terms of projects execution in the various councils.
Governor Amaechi said the expectations that the councils’ chairmen would take advantage of the assistance of the state government has not been met and urged them to execute projects that would transform their councils.
However, the chairmen of Port Harcourt City Council, Emohua and Etche Local Government Council who spoke at the forum explained that the the seeming lack of performance by some council chairmen was attributable to the current financial meltdown which has affected their monthly allocation.
“After payment of staff salaries and other things, some of us are left with five or six million to run the councils for the whole month”, Engr Emeka Woke, Chairman of Emohua Local Government area said.
On his part, Chief Azubike Mmerukini of PHALAGA blamed their woes on over bloated work force which he said makes the execution of projects difficult. He, however, said they were doing their best in the present circumstance.
Chief Ephraim Nwuzi of Etche LGA said that it was not all the chairmen that are not performing.
“If the committee comes to Etche and don’t find projects on ground, I will resign’, Nwuzi said.