The Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has inaugurated the Community Government Council otherwise known as the Fourth-Tier Government in Imo State.
In a speech at the inauguration ceremony held at the Headquaters of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, new Owerri yesterday, the governor said that time has come for people to promote agricultural activities in the State which he described as the best way to ensure availability of food not only for local consumption, but also for export. In his words, “it is regrettable that we the Igbos depend largely on other tribes for food. This is because we the Igbos have forsaken agriculture. But today, I am glad that we are practically going back to agriculture for food security and economic development of our State. This is what the Community Government stands for”.
Speaking further at the occasion, Governor Okorocha announced that the State government has perfected arrangements to establish a Songhai Farm in each Community in the State.
He explained that the purpose of the Community Government is to decentralize power towards bringing governance to the door-step of the rural dwellers and unlock the hidden potentials in the rural Communities.
The governor formally presented the 49-page Community Government Council Law which captured all the Communities in the State and the operational framework of the Community Government recently passed by the State House of Assembly.
According to the Law, the Traditional Ruler will serve as the Chairman of the Council while those formerly addressed as President General will serve as Secretary. The Community Liaison Officer, Woman Leader and Youth Leader will serve as members. Already, some civil servants have been posted to the various Communities to constitute the administrative wing of the Council.
Governor Okorocha explained that under the law, Communities can initiate projects according to their needs while government plays its part by providing funds to actualize those projects
Also during the occasion, the governor declared open the ‘Traditional Parliament’ structured to give voice to the masses and promote cultural values of the Igbos. He urged the Traditional Rulers to make good use of the opportunity provided by the Community Government by making laws that will promote Igbo tradition and cultural values. Said he, “History is made today with the inauguration of the Traditional Parliament. This parliament which has all the Traditional Rulers in Imo State as members will provide the window of opportunity for us to promote our culture. This is where laws related to marriage, kola-nut and other cultures that are common to the people will be made. Today I empower you to begin to make such cultural laws that will make us not to forget our language because my worry is that if we do not act quickly now, we might be destroying the generation of Ndi-Imo yet unborn and that a day might come when there is no one speaking Igbo language. It is important we bequeath the legacy of our culture to our children unborn”.
He challenged the Traditional Rulers to adopt Alternative Dispute Resolution [ADR] in settling conflicts in their various Communities as part of measures geared towards promoting unity in the State
Adding his voice, the Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Hon Benjamin Uwajimogu commended Governor Okorocha for his vision in establishing Community Government which he said would fast-track development at the grassroots and place Imo above other States in terms of rural development and agricultural revolution in Nigeria
Also speaking, the Commissioner for the newly created Community Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prof Chima Iwuchukwu, described Community Government as ‘Government of the people for the people and with the people’.
He pointed out that the Community Government will promote unity, entrepreneurship and the spirit of self- help in the Igbo nation.
The highpoints of the occasion is the conferment of the title of ‘Owelle Ndi-Igbo and Igbo Prime Minister’ on Governor Rochas Okorocha by the Traditional Rulers.
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