Panic As Ibas, Rivers Administrator Directs LGs To Submit Two-year Financial Report

The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd) has asked Heads of Local Government Area, HLGAs, of the 23 councils in the state to submit reports of two years activities of their councils to the government.

It was gathered that the directive from the state government has unsettled HLGAs of the 23 councils in the state following the urgency of the message and the alleged political undertone attached to the directive.

Recall that the suspended Governor Siminialayi Fubara had, following the Supreme Court’s judgement that invalidated the 2024 local government election, directed the HLGAs of the councils to take over the administration of the LGs.

Surprise directive

But, Monday, the Administrator of the state directed the HLGAs to 23 councils to submit reports on the activities of the LG in the last two years.

The directive was contained in a letter to the HLGAs by Dame Dr. Itong Awani, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government Affairs.

However, the directive was only made public on Wednesday.

The letter read: “His Excellency, the Sole Administrator of Rivers State has directed that all Heads of Local Government Administration should submit the report of their councils to the office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government Affairs.

“I am also to inform you that all submissions using the format listed below should reach the office of the undersigned on or before Wednesday, 26th March, 2025, for onward transmission to the office of the Sole Administrator, Government House, Port Harcourt for further necessary action.”

Report format

The letter directed the HLGAs to detail the number of staff members in the LGAs, the sources of their revenue generation and activities of the councils in the past two years and submit on Wednesday (today).

It read: “Submission template: ·Introduction/Preamble, Functions of the Council, Number of Staff on Nominal Roll stating cadre by cadre;

“Sources of Revenue Generation in the LGA, Activities of the Council/On-going and Completed Projects for the past two years and Achievements of the Council.

“The letter also tasked the HLGAs to note the challenges of the local governments well as make recommendation to the Administrator on those issues can be managed, tasking the LGA heads to treat as urgent and keep to the timeline of submission.”

VANGUARD