The Cross River State Ministry of Local Government Affairs has commenced the vetting of the 2026 appropriation budgets of the State’s 18 Local Government Areas, in a bid to promote prudent resource allocation and strengthen development at the grassroots.
The week-long exercise, which began on Monday, August 24, 2026, is designed to ensure that the councils’ budget proposals are properly scrutinized, aligned with development priorities, and responsive to the needs of their respective communities.
Speaking at the commencement of the exercise, the Commissioner for Local Government Affairs and Chairman of the Vetting Committee, Chief Victor Felix Idem, commended council chairmen and budget officers for their prompt response despite tight schedules.
Represented by the Director of Administration in the Ministry, Mr. Emmanuel Edim Akunobor, the Commissioner solicited the cooperation of council representatives throughout the process, noting that the exercise would be interactive and participatory.
He stressed that the vetting was necessary to ensure that resources allocated to the LGAs are appropriately channeled toward projects and programmes with direct impact on the people at the grassroots.
Also speaking, the Ministry’s Head of Budget, Mrs. Faith Ochelebe, said the budgets presented by the councils were expected to comply with the International Public Sector Accounting Standards, IPSAS, and reflect the development aspirations of their people.
Ochelebe explained that the one-week exercise would enable the committee to conduct a thorough review of the proposals and make necessary observations to ensure that the budgets adequately address the yearnings and priorities of residents across the LGAs.
On the first day of the exercise, Calabar Municipality, Calabar South, and Odukpani Local Government Councils presented their 2026 revised budgets for vetting.
The remaining councils are scheduled to present their proposals at various times during the week.
Members of the vetting committee include the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Mrs. Ewor Myke Edet, and the Internal Auditor of the Joint Account Allocation Committee, JAAC, Mrs. Veronica Kingsley.
Also in attendance were the Assistant Director of Budget, Mr. Ubi Benjamin Williams, and the Budget Officer, Miss Queenette Mmabong Nya, both from the Cross River State Budget Office.
By Mary Okon
