- Peter Obi has condemned the ₦600 million spent on sending wives of 21 Adamawa LGA chairmen to Turkey for “leadership training,” calling it a misuse of public funds that could have supported education or women’s businesses.
Peter Obi has condemned the reported trip of 21 Adamawa LGA chairmen’s wives to Turkey for “leadership training,” calling it a waste of public funds.
He criticized the estimated ₦600 million spent, suggesting it could have been used for education or women-led businesses instead.
Obi wrote: “I have just read the disturbing report that the wives of 21 local government chairmen in Adamawa State were sponsored with public funds to travel to Turkey under the guise of leadership training.
“Today, while our children at the basic education level, whose education is the responsibility of local governments, are out of school, and those in school lack classrooms and teachers, while LGA pensioners are likely being owed, and teachers continue to struggle under economic hardship, it is disheartening that scarce resources are channeled into frivolities such as foreign trips for the wives of local government chairmen who have no public office, at an estimated cost of about ₦600 million in public funds.
“While I sincerely commend Governor Fintiri and his team for their efforts, especially in the area of infrastructure in Yola, Adamawa still remains one of the states in urgent need of investment in critical sectors such as education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation. Such money, if directed at women micro-credit at an average of ₦100,000 each for women-led micro businesses, will uplift 6,000 women, which would be more impactful to the various LGAs, with about 300 women in each LGA being empowered, than this wasteful spending.
“Basic education in particular cannot afford to lose such a huge amount, as the over half a billion naira in question could have funded about 30 blocks of six classrooms at an average cost of ₦20 million each, directly impacting the lives of countless children and communities.
“We must return to prudent, people-oriented governance. Local government funds belong to the people, to the market woman, the farmer, the teacher, the pensioner, and every ordinary Nigerian who depends on government for basic amenities. Anything short of that is an abuse of office and should not be condoned. This is not only a glaring case of waste but a mockery of the very essence of governance.
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