Abia councillor decry starvation amid rising constituents’ anger

The leader of the 7th Osisioma Ngwa Legislative Council, Victor Ngwakwe, has lamented what he described as a growing wave of anger, hunger, and frustration among residents across Abia’s local government areas, blaming the situation on the state’s alleged tight control of local government funds.

Ngwakwe, who represents Osokwa Ward, said that councillors in Osisioma Ngwa are under immense pressure from their constituents who expect them to deliver basic services despite the absence of direct funding.

“Our people are not asking for much. They just want the basic things government is supposed to do for them,” he told reporters on Thursday.

“But the grassroots don’t know the people at the state level — they only have access to their councillors, who unfortunately have no funds to work with.”

He expressed deep concern that public confidence in local representatives was fading, particularly among elderly voters who no longer trust their councillors to deliver on campaign promises.

Ngwakwe accused the Abia State Government of violating the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Local Government Act by appropriating and spending local government allocations from Umuahia, instead of allowing councils to manage their own funds.

“Everything is done at Government House in Umuahia, which is against what’s clearly stated in the Constitution,” he said.

“It’s only in Abia that this section of the law is implemented 100% against local councils.”

The lawmaker disclosed that councillors often resort to personal funds or private assistance to carry out even the smallest projects.

“Whatever you see any councillor doing now is either funded personally or supported by a friend or political boss,” he added.

Ngwakwe urged Abia residents to understand that local councillors are willing and ready to serve if granted access to statutory allocations.

“The funds allocated to Osisioma Ngwa are enough to show that we care for our people,” he said. “But I must be clear — Abia State controls the local government money, and we don’t have access to our monthly allocations.”