In apparent bid to drum home the visions of the Governor Hope Uzodimma administration, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Community Relations, Deacon Ernest Oziri has met with Presidents-General of Owerri West LGA communities.
In attendance at the meeting held at the Ahiajoku Centre, New Owerri were 17 out of 21 Presidents-General in Owerrri West LGA, ably led by their Coordinator Mr. Christian, the President-General of Olaukwu.
The SA, Hon. Deacon Ernest Oziri, introduced why he invited them for the meeting, which was to discuss on the burning issue of exorbitant and arbitrary collection of development levies by the communities which he said adversely affected the developers, majority of whom are imolites.
Reacting to this, the Coordinating President-General, Mr. Christian thanked the SA for the opportunity to interface with them as, according to him, it has taken time for government agents to called them for a meeting, which made them feel neglected and abandoned.
He acknowledged the collection of development levies by the various communities, saying that it was the only source of revenue for the communities and the only source from they are able to maintain their local vigilante groups, do some abandoned roads in the rural communities etc.
He went further to assure that they are ready to abide by any directive of the government as regards the development levy.
Speaking, Chief Ndubuisi Okata, President General of Emeabiam, and other subsequent speakers supported the Coordinating President-General in his submission. But Sir Uzoma, President-General, Irete autonomous community, stated that in his community, development levy is determined by the location of the land, as they have three categories of land in Irete, which are: local land, highbrow area, and industrial area. According to him, the prices differ.
According to the community leaders, they cannot see any possibility of making development levy prorata.
The SA in his response, told them that the government is not interested in the development levy, except that the only reason for the meeting is to see how they can checkmate the arbitrary and exorbitant fees by the various communities, which have affected prospective land buyers and developers, of which many are civil servants who find it difficult to continue with their projects after paying the exorbitant development levies through their noses.
On their request for the governor to reconsider and restore their monthly stipends, and plea to see if the government can in anyway ensure that any developer who after five years of purchase did not develop the land, either waiting for the price to appreciate, with the intention of selling at a higher prices, stands to loose the land, the SA promised to relay all their requests to the governor.
