Former Anambra State governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has faulted the reported use of ₦600 million in public funds to sponsor the wives of 21 local government chairmen in Adamawa State on a trip to Turkey.
Obi described the expenditure, said to be packaged as a “leadership training,” as a reckless waste of scarce resources at a time when millions of Nigerians are grappling with poverty and children are out of school.
In a statement on Saturday, the former governor said the decision amounted to “a mockery of the very essence of governance.”
“While our children at the basic education level, whose welfare and education are the responsibility of local governments, are out of school, and those in school lack classrooms and teachers,
“it is disheartening that scarce resources are being channelled into frivolities such as foreign trips for the wives of local government chairmen who hold no public office,” Obi said.
He estimated that the funds could have empowered 6,000 women entrepreneurs with micro-credit of ₦100,000 each or funded 30 blocks of six classrooms across the state.
“Such a huge sum, if invested in women-led businesses, would uplift no fewer than 300 women in each of Adamawa’s 21 local governments. Alternatively, it could provide classrooms for thousands of children who are currently learning under trees or in dilapidated structures,” he added.
Obi acknowledged Governor Ahmadu Fintiri’s infrastructure projects in Yola but urged the administration to prioritise education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation.
He insisted that local government funds belong to the people and must be used to improve the lives of teachers, pensioners, farmers, and market women.
“Anything short of prudent, people-oriented governance is an abuse of office and should not be condoned. This is not only a glaring case of waste but also a betrayal of public trust,” he said.
The development has sparked fresh debate about accountability and spending priorities in state and local governments, especially as millions of Nigerians continue to battle rising inflation and economic hardship.
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