Labour Party Lawmakers felicitate Obi of Onitsha on Ofala Festival, Slam Anambra's LG Allocation Law

Labour Party Lawmakers felicitate Obi of Onitsha on Ofala Festival, Slam Anambra's LG Allocation Law

By Chinwe Nwacha, Onitsha 

Two Labour Party, LP, Lawmakers, Hon. Engr. Emeka Godwin Idu, member representing Onitsha North and South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, and the lawmaker representing Onitsha North 1, in Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon Justus Azuka, weekend, condemned the passage of Anambra Local Government allocation bill that allows for joint account between the state and local governments into law.

Making the condemnation while fielding questions from newsmen during the celebration of 2024 Ofala festival of Obi of Onitsha, HRM, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, the duo lawmakers reiterated that according to the Supreme court judgement local government will now receive her allocation directly stating that the joint account issue has been abolished.

According to Hon. Idu, "Local government is autonomous, in this case the joint account is abolished, Anambra state created what is called joint account, all these are the areas to syphone the local government money. We still maintain joint account, it is against what has been stipulated in the judgment. We need progress within the grass root of the local government.

"It is better to allow the money to flow into the local government for the chairman of the local government to utilize it accordingly so it will be monitored to make sure it is for the development of the local government," he stated.

In his own contribution, Hon Justice Azuka, stated that, "The truth is that what we owe our constituency as law makers is to make sure that any law we pass is of positive impact to our constituency. When the Federal Government decided to make sure that local government allocation gets to the grassroots which is the local government directly, it was a good initiative and we commended Federal Government for that.

"When our executive Governor decided to send an executive bill for amendment of local government allocation bill for this fund to be diverted  to local government joint account it did not go down well with us because we know If it gets to local government it will have  positive impact on our constituency which is the grassroot.

"We will keep telling our people the truth sometimes because we don't know what is embedded in the bill, we will keep telling them anyone that is of negative impact, we make it known to them and we continue to fight in our little way as minority in the House to make sure whatever that is coming to our constituency must be on positive impact," he affirmed.

On the 2024 Ofala festival of the Obi of Onitsha, the duo prayed God for longevity and protection of the monarch stating that he has been of tremendous assistance to the people of Onitsha, describing him as a gift to the people of Onitsha.