Residents of Ezeagu Local Government Area in Enugu State have issued a blistering demand for accountability from local government authorities over the complete dysfunction of primary healthcare facilities across the area, despite the council receiving a staggering ₦7.35 billion in federal allocations over the past two years.
In an open letter dated September 1, 2026, addressed to the Executive Chairman and Legislative Council of Ezeagu Local Government Area, Mr. Omeli Darlington, who represents Ward 1, Imezi Olo and environs, voiced the grievances of the people, alleging that several Primary Health Centres across the 20 wards remain in a state of ruin, leaving residents to grapple with a lack of basic healthcare services.
Darlington pointed to public records which show that Ezeagu Local Government Area received ₦2.9 billion in Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) funds in 2024 and an additional ₦4.45 billion in 2025, totaling ₦7.35 billion over the two-year period. He questioned why this massive influx of funds had not translated into functional healthcare infrastructure.
“Yet today, many PHCs in our 20 wards are not functional. No drugs. No staff. No water. No light. Our mothers, children and elderly are suffering despite these billions,” Darlington stated in the letter.
He cited Section 7(5) and the Fourth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution as the legal basis for his demand, arguing that local government councils have primary responsibilities relating to primary healthcare, while the Legislative Council is constitutionally mandated to perform oversight functions.
Darlington announced that he would formally petition both the Executive Chairman and Legislative Council over the deteriorating state of PHCs in the Local Government Area. He listed the demands of the people: that all PHCs in the 20 wards be made functional with qualified staff, essential drugs, and equipment; that a progress report be given to the public within three months, on or before 30th November 2026; and that all PHCs be fully functional within six months, on or before 28th February 2027.
He also demanded transparency and accountability on PHC funds, including FAAC allocations and the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF). “This is not an attack on any person or office. It is a constitutional demand for accountability and good governance. A healthy Ezeagu is a productive Ezeagu,” Darlington stressed.
He warned that residents would continue to monitor the council’s handling of the demands, insisting that the people of Ezeagu deserved better healthcare services. “We will be watching. Ezeagu people deserve better,” he added.