By Archibong Jeremiah
The Chairman Cross River State House of Assembly (CRSHA) Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Regina Anyogo has said that Local Governments in the State are ready to be financially autonomous.
Speaking to CrossRiverWatch in her office, she said her Committee was directed by the Senate to assess the 18 LGA’s in Cross River and report back on their readiness to be financially autonomous.
Her words: “The Senate had asked us to go round and find out how LGA’s are faring, to ascertain if they will be able to stand on their own. It wasn’t just us but other State Assemblies too were assigned this task.
“After touring the various local governments we discovered that the 18 LGA’s of Cross River State can stand on their own because of revenue generation”, the Yala legislator said.
In respect to the local government election which many fear won’t hold as slated, she said: “The local government election is going to hold, who says it’s not going to hold? The only thing the Governor said is that all the political meetings should be put on hold for various reasons. All I know is that the election is going to hold”.
She disclosed that during her Committee’s tour, they observed that some workers have not been paid salaries ranging from 6 to 8 months and promised that her Committee will take up the matter with the relevant authorities.