Rivers audit committee invites four LGC chairmen

Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt

The committee to investigate and audit the finances of the 23 local governments in Rivers state has invited the chairmen of Emohua, Gokana, Ikwerre and Okrika Local Government Areas to appear before it today, June 17.

A statement released from the Government House in Port Harcourt, at the weekend, said the chairmen were to appear with their council secretaries, head of local government administration and head of personnel management.

Others to appear alongside the chairmen, according to the statement signed by Paulinus Nsirim, the committee’s secretary, are treasurers, cashiers as well as the directors of works of the councils.

The statement added that they were to appear at the conference room of the deputy governor’s office, at the Government House, Port Harcourt at 10 am prompt.

Recall that barely three weeks ago, the Governor, Nyesom Wike, inaugurated the committee to investigate and audit the financial transactions of the 23 local governments from May 2018 to May 2019.

Gov. Wike said the committee was not aimed at removing any council chairman or official, but targeted at improving probity and accountability in the local government councils of the state.

He said: “We are not trying to remove any local government chairman, but it cannot be business as usual in the 23 local government areas.

We want to know how the local government councils spend their local government allocations.

I have never interfered in the administration of local government funds. I am not one of those governors that interfere with local government funds.”

Gov. Wike regretted that despite the monthly allocations to the 23 local government councils, there was no local government area that has executed any project and invited him for commissioning.