Umuaka Times leads Crusade for LG Accountability in Imo State.
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Umuaka Times, an Imo State-based online newspaper, has launched a crusade to sensitize Imo citizens to hold Imo State local government chairmen accountable for the massive allocations they receive from the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) to develop their local councils every month.
From last week, the newspaper has been asking questions concerning how such allocations from the Federal Government of Nigeria to the 27 local government councils in the state are spent without any positive impact.
The inquiries which started from the weekly online debate of the whatsapp group of the publication named Umuaka Times Institute UTI, has gathered a widespread support from many Imolites.
Recently, a high profile politician from the state, Honourable Ikenga Ugochinyere who represents Ideato Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives addressed a press conference where he disclosed that there was no local government council in the state that does not receive at least N300 million from the Federal Government at the end of every month.
A recent document obtained by Umuaka Times from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) showed that in June 2025, all the Imo local councils fully received their allocations. According to Grassroots Reporters newspaper, “Mbaitoli Local Government emerged as the top recipient, receiving a total of ₦529 million — the highest allocation among all LGAs in the state.” The newspaper concludes that Oru East LGA received the lowest allocation in the same month.
Although Umuaka Times is not in the position to determine if these funds were properly managed but the newspaper is desperately urging Imo council chairmen to manage the allocations transparently and accountably, ensuring that they directly benefit local residents.
Be that as it may, a tour of some local government areas in Imo State by Umuaka Times local correspondents sadly showed that despite these substantial funds, Umuaka Times’ investigations revealed deplorable conditions in some local government areas, including bad roads, lack of clean water, poor market facilities, inadequate healthcare, and no youth empowerment programs. The newspaper urges council chairmen to manage funds transparently and accountably, ensuring direct benefits for local residents. Umuaka Times will continue to ask questions and demand answers, seeking to understand why Imo State’s towns and villages remain impoverished despite receiving enormous funds.
So far what Umuaka Times is doing and will continue to do is to respectfully ask relevant questions and demand proper answers from Imo council chiefs and other authorities.
The huge amount of money Imo State has received from 1999 till date is enough to turn all the towns and villages in Imo State into a paradise but sadly enough it appears as if the local councils have been abandoned and starved of funds. For now, the clamour for local councils in Imo State and other Southeastern states of Nigeria to be accountable has begun. Imo State has 27 local government areas and some of them are prone to environmental issues like challenges like flooding. Some areas like Oguta, Ohaji/Egbema, Ngor Okpala, Owerri West and Owerri Municipal LGAs are high-risk flood areas. Another challenge is soil erosion: Ideato North, Ideato South, Orlu, Ihitte-Uboma, and Njaba LGAs are affected by gully erosion in severe measures.
Some sources claim that the state government has initiated projects to address these issues, such as the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP). Despite these efforts, many areas in Imo State still face significant developmental challenges.
