Rivers: Governor Fubara Orders Audit Of LGs Accounts

By Ayodele Oni and Suleiman Anyalewechi

The first task before the newly inaugurated Local Government Chairmen in Rivers State is to look into the accounts of the councils.

The State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, while inaugurating  the 23 Council Bosses in Port Harcourt on Wednesday ordered the audit of Local Government accounts in the State.

The Governor in an early morning broadcast on Tuesday ordered the elected Councils officials to vacate office as their three years tenure expired on Monday.

Some of the Chairmen who attempted to resume office, despite the Governor’s order were attacked by protesters who besieged the Secretariat to chase them out.

The swearing-in comes a day after the governor forwarded the list to the State House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Victor Jumbo.

Former Rivers Assembly had passed the Local Government Amendment bill into law but Fubara failed to assent to the bill.

While the Governor did not sign the bill, the Lawmakers led by Martin Amaewhule vetoed him.

The amended bill which the Governor failed to assent to empowered the Rivers State Assembly to extend the tenure of Council Chairpersons, their Vice, and Councillors where it is deemed impossible to hold elections before the end of their three-year tenure.

Before their eventual sack on Tuesday, some of the ex Chairmen loyal to former Governor Nyesom Wike had dared Governor Fubara to sack them and see the consequence.

Meanwhile, Governor Fubara has charged the state Auditor General to  put machineries in motion to look into the  financial records of the  23 Local Councils.

The Governor who issued the directive during the swearing-in of the interim  Executives of the Local Councils said the audit which will cover the last three years is aimed at instilling financial sanity in the newly appointed Council officials

This is even as he urged  the Interim  Council Executives not to see themselves as a new set of Emperors ,but to use their new positions to serve the people.

He noted that the tenure of the Interim Management  will be short, as the process for the election of Council officials will soon begin.