Imo State Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha has inaugurated 637 Government Liaison Officers GLOs to the Community Governments Council (CGC) with a charge that they should go home and develop their communities.
While inaugurating the GLOs, Governor Okorocha said the GLOs were appointed to help use their potentials to contribute to the development of their communities, adding that life is meaningless if it cannot help those in need or contribute to better the society than you met it.
Governor Okorocha asserted that we are stronger in the community than in the local government, we are stronger in the community than we are in the state and the federal levels and that if the economy is strong in the community, the economy of the country would be stronger.
He said that the community was the base upon which we all operate and this area has been long neglected.
Governor Okorocha said that GLOs are responsible citizens of the communities who have excelled in life who can assume the level of governance in their communities and begin to transform them like any other urban city.
Owelle advised the GLOs to shun selfishness and work hard to better their communities, stressing that they are simply representing the Governor and the government to ensure that all policies and programmes are properly harnessed and implemented accordingly.
He said that the GLOs are to go to their communities and organize their people including those in diaspora to come up and develop their communities saying it is a wake up call to all and sundry.
He directed the GLOs to ensure that in the next one or two years every community must have its own cottage industry to create employment in the communities.
Governor Okorocha charged the GLOs to go and kick-start the community government with the Ezes and the Executive Secretaries, stressing that they should resist the temptation of trying to usurp the work of the traditional rulers or the President Generals (PGs).
Speaking earlier the Commissioner for community government,and Chieftaincy Affairs Barr. Ugochi Nnanna Okoro said that the meeting was a very important one as it brings together the major drivers of the community government council who would ensure that the dream of the government in this direction is realized.
Barr. Ugochi enumerated the roles of the GLOs as, to encourage and stimulate development in the communities and to provide avenue for co-operation between the communities, the government and donor agencies concerned with grass root development.
Others include promotion of cultural heritage and establishment of changes of communication within themselves and the government and encourage public spirited individuals, private and business sectors to show interest in the investment and development of the communities.
She warned against the unusual bad blood of struggle for supremacy and selfish interest associated with the rural communities.
Barr.Nnanna Okoro appealed to the GLOs to ensure that the community government is nurtured to maturity.
Present at the occasion were the Deputy Governor, Sir Jude Agbaso, the Secretary to the state government, Prof. Anthony Anwuka, the Chief of Staff Government House, Prince Eze Madumere, members of the legislators, State Executive Council Executive Secretaries members and the traditional ruler
