Kalu faults governors’ call for more fund

A former Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Kalu, on Friday faulted state governors’ demand for more funds, saying they have enough to pay salaries and develop their states.

He said the governors would do better for their states when they start denying themselves of some personal luxury such as the huge amount they collect as security votes and travel allowance.

Kalu spoke with State House correspondents shortly after leading some investors to a meeting with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

While singling out a few state governors for commendation, the former governors said others needed to sit up in order to make life more meaningful for the people of their states.

He decried a situation where he said some state governors had practically abandoned their states and relocated to Abuja.

He said all state governors have enough fund to work for the people.

He said, “The issue of crying for fund, honestly, in my opinion, these governors have enough fund to work for their people because if you check, the money drawn as security vote is excessive. They should stop that.

“Unless they stop drawing on security vote, they will not have enough fund to work with and most of them are living in absolute luxury, which is not their money that they worked out for. So it is impossible to continue living in this manner.

“Most of the governors are even living in Abuja now, they don’t even live in their states, honestly. If you look at the books very well, in each trip they make, they will take traveling allowance of N35 million, which is unheard of.

“What are you going to do with that? So, how are we going to progress? Not all the governors. I have gone through Rivers, I see that Rivers is hitting the ground. I have gone through Adamawa and I see Adamawa is hitting the ground.

“I have gone through few more states, they are hitting the ground, they are working. I don’t speak with sentiments. I don’t speak for anybody. You can see those who are working and those who are not working. Let them sit down and do the job they are elected for.”

Kalu called on the Federal Government to create an enabling environment for members of the private sector to contribute their quota to national development.

He identified some of the areas that needed government’s attention to include access to credit and the revamping of the power sector.