collecting over N368 million for the creation of 92 new autonomous
communities.
It was gathered that the Ad-hoc Committee headed by Simeon Iwunze
collected N4 million each from the villages seeking autonomy.
National Mirror reports that the committee, which submitted its report
to the House on February 17 for deliberation, looked the other way as
most of these villages did not possess the basic requirements, such as
having primary and secondary schools, market, church and other sources
of revenue.
Investigation also revealed that majority of the communities
requesting autonomy had protracted Ezeship tussle, which could not be
resolved by the state government. The issue is now portraying the
state government in bad light.
But the government has exonerated itself from the deal, saying the
communities that paid such money should collect their money back.
In a statement signed by Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Prof.
Anthony Awukah, recently, the communities were directed to collect
their money back from the House members as the government has no
intention of creating additional autonomous communities now.
Supporting the position, Commissioner for Information and Strategy,
Chidi Ibeh, told National Mirror in Owerri that though the governor
has the right to assent to or reject the proposal, the executive arm
of government had directed that the communities should collect their
money back from the lawmakers.
"Many of the members know they are not coming back after the election.
So, they created the avenue to make money for themselves.
When the proposal was published, the state government through the SSG
reacted by informing those who paid for such autonomy to collect their
money back."
However, all efforts to reach the committee chairman, Iwunze, failed
as he could not be reached. But a source close to the House flayed the
state government's stand on the issue, saying the House refused the
terms of the government over how the money should be shared.
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