Indications that the smooth take –off of the Community Government Council, CGC, otherwise known as the fourth tier government, may be derailed have emerged as some participating autonomous communities have refused to be part of the exercise.
As part of the CGC policy, the state government had promised to give all the recognized autonomous communities in the state, the sum of N5m monthly for projects. Even before the event commenced in earnest, the government again reduced it to N1m with communities expected to pay a counterpart fund of N250, 000 each to complete government’s N750, 000, to access the fund, The Governor at a recent meeting with the traditional rulers, President Generals and other stakeholders of the community government, asked them to open an account at a particular new generation branch of a bank in Orlu.
Worried that the decision to open an account at a particular branch at Orlu, outside their domain and operational location is outrageous and would be cumbersome to many, some of the communities decided not to open the account at the Orlu Branch of the bank.
Others who are uncomfortable with government posture on the issue refused to open any account in any bank claiming that it had no money to do so adding that government should open bank account for all autonomous communities since government workers have been posted to the various offices. While some complied with the opening of the bank account directive, others refused insisting that they have no money and it is the duty of the government to do so.
Contrary to the stipulated N250, 000 meant as counterpart funding; only N10, 000 was collected by the banks for the opening of the account issue. Some of the communities who Imo Trumpeta met at the bank alleged that government of Imo state is insincere in its approach to the community government issue. One of the traditional rulers, (names withheld) opined that his autonomous community will not pay any dime to open any account because the CGC is a government project that needs government funding despite its location.
“We don’t know what government wants from autonomous communities. The other day, the Governor said he was given each monarch N20, 000 for fuel after wasting time during a scheduled meeting with community officials. Even five (5) people trained for agricultural development programme under the CGC arrangement have not been mobilized for the programme.
Mostly, the people who spoke to Imo Trumpeta at the bank premises noted that the CGC may be colossal failure if government does not buckle up to face the challenges ahead.
