Transition Chairman of Ukwa East LGA in Abia State, Chief Uche Ajah, has debunked claims that the state government is tampering with allocations to the council from the Federation Account.

Ajah vehemently refuted a publication through a text message credited to a group called “Abia Voice” which alleged that the federal government allocated ‘130 M’ for one month to the council while only ‘30M’ cheque was given to the council chairman but which he rejected.
The vague text message was silent on the actual month the said ‘130 M’ allocation was made. It read in part: “High level stealing and fraud in Abia Exposed. The TC Chair of Ukwa East LGA has rejected a cheque of ‘30 M’ given to him as their Allocation. What the FG actually allocated to them is‘130 M.”
The statement accused thestate government and Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs’ top officials of “stealing LGA Allocations without conscience every month while the LGA Workers are owed several months salary arrears,” asking: “Why is nobody talking?”
The Transition Chairman while reacting to the group’s statement, denied that he was ever given any N30 million cheque hence he did not reject such a cheque.

He addedthat his council has been gettingits usual monthly allocations though he did not disclose the amount.

According to Ajah, who is a magazine publisher, “my Council (Ukwa East) is not owing our workers any arrears of salaries. We pay monthly salaries promptly against receipt of the Biometric Report certifying workers’ attendance to work.”
He described the said publication as a “bundle of falsehood froma facelessgroup.”

•Photo: Governor T.A. Orji of Abia State.