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Akwa Ibom CP Vows to Enforce Open Grazing Laws, Prosecute Violators
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has vowed to ensure enforcement of the state’s law on grazing, by arresting and driving the prosecution of anyone perpetrating prohibited provisions of the law.
The State’s Commissioner of Police, CP BABA MOHAMMED AZARE, made this statement during a press conference at the Police Headquarters in Ikot Akpan Abia.
The Police Commissioner, who expressed the Command’s commitment to addressing the security challenges facing the state, emphasized that the police will not stand by and allows miscreants to unleash terror on law-abiding citizens.
Speaking further, CP AZARE highlighted the achievements recorded by the State Police Command so far and directed the Police Public Relations Officer, TIMFON JOHN to make his phone number, alongside those of the Assistant Commissioners of Police, available to the public.
This move, he said, will enhance communication and contribute to greater success in policing the state.
CP BABA MOHAMMED AZARE also solicited the support and cooperation of all stakeholders, particularly traditional rulers, the media, and other partners, to ensure the state remains free from all forms of criminal activity.
AKSG to Revamp Ibom Specialty Hospital
Akwa Ibom State government is planning massive reinvestment in Ibom Multi -Specialty Hospital in order to reposition it to achieve its goals and drive medical tourism to the state.
The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital, Dr. INI ETUKUDO, disclosed this during a comprehensive review of the hospital’s activities from 2021 to 2024, where he provided an in-depth assessment of the hospital’s growth, challenges and future plans.
The occasion featured presentation by different units of the hospital highlighting service output, achievements and identifying areas of service gaps, with a view to addressing them for enhanced service delivery.
Dr. Etukudo applauded Governor Umo Eno, for the planned massive reinvestment in the hospital in order reposition the facility for optimum operations, and also thanked the heads of departments and general staff members for their effort in delivering quality health service in line with international best practice.
The CMD further acknowledged the efforts of the hospital’s Business Development Unit in attracting the retainership of a significant number of multinational corporations as well as partnership with private national and international health insurance organisations.
Dr. Etukudo observed that the hospital activity review will help the health facility in performance evaluation, Strategic alignment with its goals, resource optimization, informed decision making, team engagement and motivation, risk mitigation and continuous growth of the hospital.
Federal Government Establishes Funds Distribution Team for 774 Local Government Areas
The Federal government has set up a dedicated team in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) to handle direct disbursement of funds to the 774 local governments across the country as the planned financial autonomy for the third tier of government takes effect this month.
The first meeting of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) for this year has been scheduled for Wednesday; January 15, with operational details for direct fund allocations to the LGs expected to feature prominently.
Sources at the OAGF said the necessary structures and processes for the new dispensation were ready to ensure a seamless implementation.
“Most of the 774 LGAs will fully start receiving their allocations from January 2025.
“Our committee will reconvene later this month to review its progress and finalise measures before the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) issues authorisation for the complete rollout,” one of the sources said of the assignment of the Inter-Ministerial Committee set up to enforce the Supreme Court judgment on direct allocation of revenue to the councils.
The source said the Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Wale Edun had earlier given approval for the direct fund allocation.
The source said there should be no “challenge to carry out the approval from the Minister to start making the disbursements to the LGAs. There won’t be a challenge because it’s something they (ministry officials) do day in day out for the states.”
“A whole department is in charge of it, so it’s not going to be a challenge. The structure has been on the ground. I can confirm that,”
It was also gathered that the Inter-Ministerial Committee would also “address the actions of some governors attempting to undermine the autonomy of democratically elected LGA chairmen, deputies and councilors.”
Sources at the Federal Ministry of Justice said separately that the committee set up by President Bola Tinubu to implement the Supreme Court judgment was working round the clock to deliver on its assignment.
The committee is headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief George Akume.
A source confirmed “The essence of the LG financial autonomy is to ensure grassroots development and not to impose a burden on governors.
“This necessitated the setting up of the committee chaired by the SGF to ensure smooth and charismatic implementation.”
Most of the states are also ready for the take-off of the LG financial autonomy, having taken steps or in the process of meeting the main condition stipulated by the federal government for their councils to be eligible for the monthly allocation from the federation account: running of the LGs by democratically elected chairmen and councilors.
Thus, council elections have been conducted in many of the states while Lagos and Ondo are about holding theirs.
The Supreme court, in its July 11, 2024 landmark judgment, affirmed the financial autonomy of the local governments as it upheld the suit brought by the federal government to strengthen the independence of local governments in the country.
A seven-member panel of the court said in the unanimous decision that local governments should immediately receive their allocations directly from the Accountant-General of the Federation.
Justice Emmanuel Agim, who read the lead judgment, said it was illegal and unconstitutional for governors to receive and withhold funds allocated to local governments in their states.
He said: “It is the position of this court that the federation can pay local governments allocations directly to the local governments or through the states.
“In this case, since paying them through the states has not worked, justice demands that local governments’ allocations from the federation account should henceforth be paid directly to the local governments.”
He described the states’ retention of local government funds as unconstitutional.
However, the governors reached out to the federal government to allow for a gradual evolution of the new process, arguing that an unplanned financial autonomy might create more problems for the councils.
The federal government subsequently warned that revenue allocation would be denied states that failed to have democratically elected officials run the local governments. The development prompted the states to conduct LG elections.
