The Chairman of Igboeze South Local Government Area, Barr. Ukwueze Ferdinand, has dismissed speculations that Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah interferes with local government finances, stressing that all councils in Enugu State receive their statutory allocations directly.
He stated this in an exclusive interview with Journalist101, where he also spoke extensively on other issues, including the ongoing projects in his council area and the strategies his administration has adopted to tackle insecurity, among others.
Speaking in his capacity as Vice Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Enugu State chapter, Ferdinand said:
“There is no local government in Enugu State that does not have access to her statutory funds as released from the federation account.”
He described local government chairmen in Enugu as “fortunate and lucky,” noting that Governor Mbah’s leadership has created opportunities that their peers in other states do not enjoy.
“Working under His Excellency, Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, has provided a kind of privilege that our peers across other states within the country do not have access to. The state government has made it possible for us to have synergies with the state so that whatever programme and project you want to bring in, be it within the residual list or the concurrent list, you can form an alliance with the state government, where the state will invest 60% and then we’re left to invest only 40%,” he explained.
Citing examples, the Igboeze South boss said no local government alone has the financial capacity to establish farm estates or smart green schools, but under Governor Mbah’s model, such projects have been made possible.
Ferdinand also highlighted the massive investment in healthcare across the state, revealing that each ward now has access to Type II hospitals.
He further commended Governor Mbah for consistently shouldering a greater share of the funding burden to ensure completion of projects, even when councils are unable to meet their 40% counterpart contributions.
Watch the full video below:
