Our attention has been drawn to a grand plan to siphon Anambra State money to the tune of N3.6bn to APGA loyalists in the 177 towns in Anambra State.
It is naked corruption!
We note that different publications online and different commentaries have described this venture by other names, but characteristically, we are stating what it is and asking Governor Obiano that stealing from the state in broad daylight belongs to the dark era before the 2003 liberation.
In those days that the locusts e up, unknown Ndi Anambra billions of state resources were retired as ‘flower planting funds’ at the local level, only to turn round to announce ‘Zero Allocation’ at the centre.
It is inconceivable that a state that has by its footwork shown tremendous lack of resources to execute the bare essentials is railroading its people into a well crafted corruption guile akin to the sand-filling of the Bar Beach towards election time, under the watch of Minster of Works Anenih when a permanent development plan was already afoot and the federal government had not paid its component.
To those who try to disguise this broad-day robbery that is alien to the 2016 budget in Anambra State as community projects, the 1999 constitution as amended does not recognize towns, town unions and town party faithful as a tier of government.
The spirit of that constitution recognizes that some towns are very small and others are very big. It therefore proceeds, on the basis of population, to organize groups of towns into units recognized by the same constitution as local governments specifically named in the First schedule therein.
It is therefore inconceivable that Gov Willie Obiano who has on his own violated Section 7(1) of the constitution by not having a validly elected local government in the 21 I Anambra State in the time being, will go ahead to completely demolish the essence of local governments and move Anambra state funds to individuals affiliated to his political party in entities not recognized by the constitution for purposes of diversion of funds.
It would not be long before we begin to see conflicts within the towns so targeted, because there are no guidelines at those unrecognized levels for allocation, expenditure, monitoring and handling of resources, funds and funds, as it affects government.
The only thing that can guide project execution at that level is the directive of a governor, which is disguised dictatorship of a type that Anambra State has outgrown.
This is beside the nepotism of trying to allocate equal funds to communities with wide-ranging population.
In no time Gov Obiano would have set up machinery for Anambra communities to start killing themselves over illegal movement of government funds. This move will hurt Anambra State more than it would build, and it is avoidable.
We urge Gov Obiano and the Anambra State House of Assembly you rise up to their responsibilities and stop the hemorrhage.
This statement is without prejudice to other lines of action that may be considered by our great party in interest of the long-suffering people of Anambra State.
For: ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC), ANAMBRA STATE CHAPTER
Okelo Madukaife
State Publicity Secretary
