A prominent activist in Abia State has launched a scathing critique against the administration of Bende Local Government Area, demanding full accountability for substantial public funds. Chima Okorie, a concerned citizen, has directly challenged the Mayor of Bende, Uwabunkonye Bassey, to publicly account for his stewardship, particularly the management of monthly allocations.
N600 Million Monthly Inflow, Questionable Impact
The call for transparency comes in response to recent claims by the Abia State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) that councils receive their monthly allocations without state interference. Okorie countered this assertion by revealing that Bende Local Government receives an average of about N600 million every month. He posed a critical question to the Mayor: what tangible projects or developments justify such significant financial inflows?
In an exclusive statement made on Monday, January 19, 2026, Okorie questioned the performance of the council chairman after 13 months in office. He insisted there has been little to no visible impact of governance in the area, despite the regular and substantial funding.
Okorie stated: "Bende Local Government receives about N600 million on average every month. The question is: where are the commensurate projects to show for these funds after 32 months of Alex Otti's administration? Bende has received over N19 billion since May 29th, 2023."
Allegations of Widespread Infrastructure Decay
Beyond the financial figures, the activist lamented the apparent poor state of infrastructure across the local government. He highlighted specific areas of concern that affect the daily lives of residents.
- The deplorable condition of public schools.
- The absence of basic medical equipment in most primary healthcare centres.
- An overall lack of effective governance felt by the populace.
According to Okorie, this troubling situation is not isolated but spans the entire local government area. He pointed out that Bende has 13 wards, yet there is no single ward where the impact of local government administration can be clearly felt, even though the Mayor claims to receive allocations without hindrance.
Call for Probe and Threat of Petition to Anti-Graft Agencies
In the interest of transparency and accountability, Okorie has called on Mayor Uwabunkonye Bassey to publicly provide a detailed explanation of how the funds accrued to the council have been utilised.
He issued a stern warning, indicating that if the demand for accountability is not met, political stakeholders would be compelled to take further action. This action would involve petitioning regulatory agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC). The petition would urge these bodies to urgently investigate the allocations and expenditure of Bende Local Government, especially since the chairman allegedly acknowledged unhindered access to all funds.
This development intensifies the scrutiny on local government administration in Abia State, raising fundamental questions about financial transparency and the tangible results of governance at the grassroots level.
