Rivers Councillors Blast LG Chairmen Over High-handedness
…Declare Loyalty to Fubara
From MAUREEN DICK, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Councillors’ Forum has raised the alarm over alleged planned protest by chairmen to local government areas to disrupt peace in the state because of the payment of salaries by the governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The forum’s outcry was contained in communique issued by the Legislative Councillors held in Port Harcourt at the weekend.
In the communique signed by the five councillors of five local government areas, which included Reginald Promise, Leader , Omuma; Larry Ibaningo, Bonny; Christian Ewah, Ahoada West; Samuel Manilla, Opobo/Nkoro, and Bernard ThankGod, Ahoada East, noted a uncomplimentary utterances of some political leaders at the LGA against the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The forum alleged: “our attention has been drawn to a purported plot by the local government chairmen to mobilize some miscreants in the guise of Councillors’ Forum to caus mayhem in the state.
“The chairmen whose tenure is winding down in few days, have resorted to making unwarranted and unguided statements to sabotage the government of His Excellency, Ama-Opusenibo Sir Siminalayi Fubara.
“It is on record that His Excellency has paid all civil servants as well as the political class, hence any kind of political sabotage in the guise of protests amounts to nothing bur nuisance by the chairmen and the councillors.
“His Excellency, Ama-Opusenibo Sir Siminalayi Fubara, the Governor of Rivers State, is passionate, dedicated and committed to service delivery to the people of Rivers State.
“It can only take those that do not mean well for the state to oppose the proactive and peace driven policies of his administration.
“His Excellency has paid promptly and has projects and programmes are very viable and people-oriented. In fact, there is no better time to speak than now, on how greedy and self-centered these chairmen have been in their ill-mannered treatment meted out on councillors and LGAs at large.”
According to the forum, “These council chairmen receive timely huge amounts of allocations and IGRs, yet, they have done little to show for it, say for one or two LGAs that actually used the funds judiciously to the benefit of the people of their LGAs.”
The councillors further alleged: “Some LGA chairmen, up till this moment, have refused to present their budgets, yet, they have been appropriating funds without following due process. That is how high-handed and corrupt they have become.
“This is the reason they are illegally clamouring through the back door to elongate their tenure in office, which, we (councillors) are not part of it, and dissociate ourselves from such.”
The forum, however, called on governor to draw the attention of security agencies to beef up security in the state to forestall breakdown of law and order.
Ends.