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Traditional rulers in Abia State have lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for initiating a Supreme Court case which freed local government areas from the financial control of governors.
The Royal fathers who compared the previous administrations in the state and the present administration alleged that they have never had it so bad like this, where some traditional rulers will go home with a monthly stipend as low as N800.
The traditional rulers drawn from the three senatorial districts of the state, whose opinions were sampled said they are presently receiving the worst stipends in the history of Abia state, and even their statutory meeting fund of N350, 000 have been allegedly removed by Gov. Alex Otti’s administration.
The traditional rulers who spoke on the condition of anonymity queried where their money have been channeled to since it does not get to them any longer.
They further alleged that the present administration in the state has been strangulating the traditional rulers in many ways, the worst experience since the inception of democracy in. Abia.
They frowned at why the government should be interfering in their matters particularly as it affects who becomes a traditional ruler of a community, a development they described as strange and should not be applauded.
They said with this free local governments, the government at the grassroots will manage themselves, manage its affairs especially with the oncoming minimum wage, and make sure salaries are paid, traditional rulers get their 5 percent, which the present administration in the state is not paying.
“For the last three months, no traditional Ruler in any Local Government of Abia State, has received 100,000 if you sum the last three months (May, June & July) stipends of any traditional Ruler.The question is, where is the monies of Ndi Eze, which the government promised and said they are paying 5 percent. Is 2,050 or 25,000 the 5 percent the governor promised he was paying? May God help Abia State”, one of the traditional rulers queried.
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