The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, suspended with immediate result, the Chairman of Mkpat Enin Local Government Council, Hon. Aniekpon Ekpo, over declared gross misconduct and misappropriation of funds.

Your home likewise directed the Vice Chairman of the Council, Hon. Mercy Bassey, to take over from the suspended chairman in acting capacity, pending the conclusion of examination into the matter.

This followed a report of your home Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs led by the Chairman, Rt. Hon. Mark Esset.

Amongst the offences supposedly committed by the chairman, according to the committee’s report was hauling out the council’s grader since 15 April, 2021 and has not returned same till date.

He said, “The Chairman contracted a consultancy service to handle the Internally Generated Revenue of Mkpat Enin Local Government Council, with no info on how the funds gotten were managed, as monies were not paid into the earnings account of the council.

“The Chairman failed to heed the guidance of the Head of Service, Director of Finance, Director of Works of the Local Government, on the requirement to follow the Local Government Law and the Financial Regulations in the running of the administration of the council.

“The Vice Chairman, other exco members and councilors are not carried along in the administrative functions of the council. During the committee meetings, weightier allegations/petitions verging on outright abuse of office and gross misbehavior by the chairman would usually be submitted to the committee every day.

“The grader purportedly returned to the council by the chairman is various from the grader belonging to Mkpat Enin Local Government Council.”

After considering the report at the Committee of the entire, your home purchased the chairman to return the council grader with immediate effect.

“Due to the obvious interference and plethora of weighty and fresh petitions against the Chairman of Mkpat Enin Local Government Council verging on scams, your house ordered the immediate suspension of the Chairman, pending the outcome of investigations of the Ad-hoc Committee set up by the Speaker.

In his remarks, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey, directed the Clerk of the House, Mrs Mandu Umoren to communicate the resolution of your home to the Executive Governor.