RELEASE UKWA WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUNDS IN ORDER TO FIGHT AGAINST ESCALATING INSECURITY — APC UKWA WEST URGES THE GOVERNMENT OF ABIA STATE.
The All Progressives Congress (APC), Ukwa West Chapter, respectfully calls on the Government of Abia State to urgently release all funds due to Ukwa West Local Government Council to enable the Council administration effectively address the escalating insecurity confronting the area.
This appeal has become imperative in light of the deteriorating security situation in Ukwa West, which has reportedly claimed the lives of no fewer than five innocent indigenes within the last two months, due to motorcycle theft-related attacks and other criminal activities. These unfortunate incidents have continued to generate fear, anxiety, and uncertainty among residents, who look to all tiers of government for decisive intervention and protection.
The APC in Ukwa-West firmly believes that the inability of the current Ukwa West Local Government Administration to adequately respond to these security challenges is largely attributable to limited access to the financial resources accruing to the local government. Effective security management requires substantial funding for logistics, patrol vehicles, communication infrastructure, intelligence gathering, community policing initiatives, and operational support for security agencies. Without adequate financial resources, the council’s capacity to safeguard lives and property remains significantly constrained.
It is a matter of public record that following the removal of fuel subsidy by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, allocations to Local Government Councils from the Federation Account have increased considerably. Available records indicate that Ukwa West Local Government Area receives substantial monthly allocations amounting to over 400 million naira. Consequently, it is only equitable and just that these funds be made available to the Local Government Council for the purposes for which they are constitutionally intended.
The APC Ukwa West maintains that the release of even a reasonable percentage of the funds accruing to the Local Government would significantly enhance the capacity of the Mayor of Ukwa West to implement practical, proactive, and sustainable security measures capable of curbing the growing wave of criminality and killing of her indigenes in the area.
While we commend the security summit convened by the Mayor of Ukwa West on June 17, 2026, we strongly contend that consultations and security meetings alone cannot resolve the prevailing security challenges. Such engagements must be complemented by adequate funding, strategic planning, and concrete action. Without access to the resources rightfully belonging to the Local Government, security summits risk becoming symbolic exercises with limited impact on the harsh realities confronting the people.
Furthermore, the continued withholding of Local Government funds undermines grassroots governance and severely hampers the council’s ability to deliver essential public services, including security, healthcare, education, road maintenance, sanitation, and rural development. The people of Ukwa West deserve a Local Government that is financially empowered to discharge its constitutional responsibilities and effectively respond to the needs of its citizens.
We, therefore, respectfully urge the State Government to prioritize the security, welfare, and development of the people of Ukwa West by ensuring the immediate release of all funds due to the Local Government. Such action will not only strengthen efforts to combat insecurity but will also accelerate socio-economic development and improve the quality of life of residents across the Local Government Area.
The security and welfare of the people remain the primary responsibility of Government, and empowering Local Governments with their rightful financial resources, as adequately provided by the APC Federal Government of President Tinubu, is an indispensable step toward achieving that objective.
Signed:
Sir Don Ubani; KSC, JP
Okwubunka of Asa, and Okeamadi Gburugburu.
Chairman, APC Stakeholders’ Forum
APC, Ukwa West Local Government Area.
Saturday (Nkwo) 20-06-2026.
