An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Akwa Ibom State, Pastor UduakAbasi Ikpat, has called for greater accountability among local government chairmen, insisting that the era of receiving huge public funds without corresponding development must come to an end.
Ikpat made the call while speaking during an interview on Team Nigeria Classic, where he emphasised that local government administrators must be prepared to account for their stewardship and demonstrate tangible evidence of projects and programmes executed with public resources.
According to him, ongoing conversations around local government autonomy and increased federal allocations to councils have heightened public expectations for improved service delivery and grassroots development.
“The people deserve to see the workings,” Ikpat said. “Public officials entrusted with public funds have a duty to be transparent and provide evidence of how available resources are being utilised for.”
The APC chieftain, who is also the Ward Leader of Northern Iman II in Etinan Local Government Area, noted that council chairmen in Akwa Ibom State now have a greater responsibility to deliver meaningful development, especially amid reports that allocations to the 31 local government areas are being accessed directly without interference.
He argued that with the increased financial resources available to councils, residents should witness significant improvements in critical sectors such as road infrastructure, electricity, primary healthcare, education, water supply, sanitation and other essential social services.
Ikpat maintained that the true measure of local government performance should not be based on the volume of funds received but on the quality and impact of projects delivered to the people.
“Local government administration should be judged by visible development and the extent to which government interventions improve the welfare of citizens,” he stated.
He further stressed that accountability must remain central to grassroots governance, warning that local government chairmen who fail to translate available resources into tangible development should be held responsible.
As calls for stronger local government autonomy continue to gain momentum across the country, Ikpat said transparency, prudent management of public funds and measurable development outcomes must become the benchmark for assessing the performance of council administrations.
He urged residents, civil society groups and relevant oversight institutions to closely monitor local government activities and demand accountability from elected officials entrusted with managing public resources.
