Imo Tasks Communities On Counterpart Fund

The Executive Secretaries of Autonomous Communities in Imo State have been urged to ensure the payment of N250,000 counterpart fund for the development of their areas.

The state Commissioner for Community Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mrs Ugochi Nnanna-Okoro made the call in Owerri.

Nnanna-Okoro noted that the essence of establishing Community Government Councils (CGC) was to foster rapid development, especially in rural areas.

She said that each community would be developed based on its potential. “We want to ensure that our people are carried along in government affairs and for us to achieve this, all communities must contribute their quota,’’ she said.

The commissioner urged the secretaries to discharge their duties with utmost sense of responsibility.

Nnanna-Okoro enjoined the executive secretaries to work in conjunction with government liaison officers to ascertain the number and condition of schools and the number of teachers and students in their respective communities.

She also advised them to handle the distribution of pension forms with seriousness, stressing that the forms were meant to be issued free of charge and not to be dumped with traditional rulers.

Responding on behalf of others, Mr Reginald Ononibaku, assured the commissioner that the officers would redouble their effort.

He thanked the state government and the commissioner for efforts being made to improve development in rural areas.