Cross River govt distributes 54 SUVs to council officials

Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade has distributed 54 Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV) to local government officials in the state.

The vehicles comprise 18 Ford Edge for the 18 chairmen of the local government areas, 18 Ford Escape for the vice chairmen of the local government areas and 18 Ford Ecosport for Leaders of the local government areas across the state.

During the distribution of the vehicles yesterday in Calabar, the state capital, Ayade, who was represented by his deputy, Prof. Ivara Esu, advised the beneficiaries to use them well.

The governor said the state government was prudent in managing resources, as reflected in the provision of the vehicles, stressing the need for prudent management of the councils’ resources.

“With the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis, if we were to rely on Federal allocation, even salaries will not be paid.

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“The governor is prudent in managing our resources, if this was not the case the cars will not be provided,” he said.

Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Mrs. Stella Odey, said the vehicles were acquired through the Joint Allocation Accounts, in line with Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit regulations.

She said the governor kept the fund for the use of the local government areas before their election and emphasised that it was the tradition to provide mobility for council officials.

“The cars are not free gifts; they were purchased through the JAAC Accounts and, going by NFIU regulations, they were procured by the chairmen themselves and the funds came through their individual local government accounts,” she added.

Chairman of Local Government Chairmen Forum, who is also the Chairman of Akpabuyo Local Government, Mr. Emmanuel Offiong, hailed the state government for solving the mobility needs of the council chairmen and other officials.