Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, says the community government otherwise known as fourth-tier government in the state is conceived to boost meaningful development in the rural communities.

He made this clarification at a grand civic reception organised in his honour by the people of Aboh Mbaise LGA over the weekend.

According to Governor Okorocha, the community government as the brain-child of his rescue mission administration, is also structured at decentralising powers towards bringing government to the door-step of the people.

He added that the community government would encourage agricultural practices for rapid economic development and job creation for the teeming youths.

The governor, however, charged the people to embark on massive planting of palm trees as well as major cash crops that constituted the main stay of Nigerian economy before the oil boom.

Okorocha promised that his government would complete all the roads and other infrastructural projects embarked upon in the area.

He also charged the people, especially the community leaders, to be part of the projects by ensuring that the contractors deliver according specifications and on time.

The governor disclosed that his administration has released over N15 billion to mobilise contractors, adding that there is no reason why they should not deliver as expected.

He urged the people to shun selfish leaders who rather than contributing to their communities pursue selfish interest. While commending the people of Aboh Mbaise for their support during the 2011 election that brought him to power, Gov. Okorocha promised to ensure that the entire Mbaise nation maintain their rightful place in the scheme of things in his administration.

Speaking earlier, the Sole Administrator of Aboh Mbaise, Hon Anthony Atudume, said that the people of Aboh Mbaise are happy to receive the governor.

He said they would ever remain grateful to the governor for his numerous development strides in the area which he listed to include the 15-kilometre road construction spread across the entire local government, the ongoing construction of General Hospital at Mbutu, the ongoing building of 12-classroom concrete blocks in all the wards of the LGA and most importantly the free education programme from primary to university, the first of its kind in the country.

Also speaking, the chairman, central working committee for the reception and Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Prof. Fabian Osuji, applauded the governor for his immeasurable achievements particularly in the area of free education that has restored hope for the common man and massive infrastructural development in the area.

On the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Osuji said that his people are behind the governor and would support him at all times.

He appealed to the governor to revisit the issue of the permanent site location of the Imo State University to ensure that the land his people provided for the school since the era of the legendary Chief Sam Mbakwe is utilised for that purpose.

•Photo: Governor Okorocha.

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