By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno has taken steps to probe the financial dealings in the 31 local government areas of state in the last six months, with the setting up of verification teams headed by the commissioners.
The setting of the verification teams which was announced in a statement today, June 4, 2024, signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prince Enobong Uwah, is to guide the governor on the decision taking.
Headed by commissioners with some House of Assembly members in the state as members, the verification teams have the mandate to verify local government projects and report to the office of the governor within two days being June 5, 2024.
The statement reads, “His Excellency, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno has approved the appointment of the following government officials as members of the Verification Team to authenticate the projects executed by the respective Chairmen and Members of the 31 Local Government Transition Committee during their six months tenure in Office.
“The appointment takes immediate effect. You are to submit a report on Wednesday, 5th June, 2924.”
It would be recalled that the six months’ tenure in office of the Transition Committee Chairmen and members in the 31 local areas of the state would expire on June 6, 2024 having been inuagurated on December to pilot the affairs of the councils pending the election of elected officials by Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission.
Our correspondent gathered that the local government allocations have been improved in the last six months which informed the Governor’s decision to ask council helmsmen and counselors to justify huge government funds given to the local areas in the last six months.
It was also gathered that the Governor did not interfer in the financial dealings of the local government areas in the state within the period under review.
It would be recalled that Governor Eno had last month visited all the local government areas for fact findings mission but apparently not satisfied and now constituted another verification team that will report outcome of their findings to his office to guide him take a decision.
However, the Governor has planned to extend the tenure of the transition committee chairmen and members across the 31 local government areas of the state by another six months to allow enough time for the state electoral umpire to conduct elections into the Council in December this year.
Unconfirmed report from the Government House in Uyo, has hinted that any transition committee chairman or member who would be found wanting with the local government funds will not only loose tenure extension but but would be prosecuted accordingly to serve as a deterant to others.
He had earlier sent request to the State House of Assembly of approval to the effect.
