IMO ASSEMBLY REVERSES OKOROCHA’S DECISIONS

The Imo State House of Assembly has suspended indefinitely all the twenty seven local government area chairmen, their deputies and councilors over alleged misappropriation of fund.

The action is coming two weeks after the controversial reinstatement of the twenty seven council chairmen by the former speaker, Chief Iheanacho Ihim, after being suspended by the house over petitions from councilors bothering on alleged intimidation of councilors and embezzlement.

The House presided over by the new speaker, Mr. Chinedu Offor, adopted a motion sponsored by the member representing Ezinihitte Mbaise constituency, Mr. Bruno Ukoha, calling on the local government area Chairmen and Councilors to hand over the affairs of the third tier of government to Directors of Administrations and General Services in the councils pending conclusion of investigations on allegations leveled against them.

Similarly, the House adopted a motion sponsored by representative of Aboh Mbaise Constituency, Chief Mike Iheanaetu, urging Governor Emeka Ihedioha to cancel all appointments made between March 11 and May 29, 2019 by the immediate past administration in the state.

It also resolved to mandate the executive to review land allocations in the last eight years, revoke where necessary and determine total debts owed by the state government with a view to ascertaining how government incurred such liabilities.

In an interview, the sponsor of the motion, Chief Mike Iheanaetu, said the motion followed complaints by residents of the state on last minute appointments of permanent secretaries and alleged looting of government property.a

The House also urged the executive to dissolve all Boards of Parastatals and Agencies as well as invite anti graft agencies to assist the government in making necessary recoveries.

Meanwhile, the Chairman Association of Local Governments of Nigeria in Imo State, Chief Gerald Mgborokwu, has decribed the action of the lawmakers as illegality noting, that the matter was already in court.

Supporters of the affected local government area officials were seen outside the House of Assembly premises blocking a road to protest the action of the lawmakers.

CHINAZO ILECHUKWU