Hope Uzodimma Inaugurates Implementation Committee of White Paper on Lands, Others
- The mission to recover all assets of the Imo state government in the hands of individuals have commenced
- Governor Hope Uzodimma has set up a committee tasked with the mandate to recover the properties
- The committee is led by a highly-respected landscape architect in Nigeria, Professor Ukachukwu Awuzie
Owerri - Imo state governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma has inaugurated the implementation committee of the white paper on lands and related matters.
The committee, according to Governor Uzodimma, would work towards recovering assets recommended by the state’s judicial commission of inquiry.
Source: Facebook
The judicial commission had indicted the administration of Owelle Rochas Okorocha, accusing it of selling properties owned by the Imo state government.
A statement sent to Legit.ng by the Imo state government quoted Governor Uzodimma as saying:
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“Your primary duties are to recover for Imo people all the assets gazetted in the white paper as set out in the recommendations of the commission.”
He said the inauguration had amplified his government’s mantra of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, and Recovery.
He added:
“The white paper on lands and related matters is unambiguous – it is now an established legal fact that lands and properties belonging to both the government and the people were illegally acquired or appropriated.
“This is so because all such illegal acquisitions were identified by the judicial commission of Inquiry. Government accepted these recommendations and thereabout issued a white paper.”
Members of the implementation committee include Professor Ukachukwu Awuzie who is the chairman.
Awuzie is the first professor of landscape architecture in Nigeria and a former Academic Staff Union of Universities president.
He is also a former Vice Chancellor of the Imo State University, a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Architectures, and a former senatorial aspirant for Imo West senatorial district.
Other members of the committee include Barrister Martin Iwuegbu, Chief H.N Ndi Duroha, Chief John Onyenze, Engr. Lady Mrs. Uchenna Onyeiwu Uba, and Chief Godwin Nwadike.
Clearing the Augean stable
Recall that the Uzodinma-led administration, earlier in the year, announced the sacking of 108 workers of the Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission.
The government stated that those affected by the decision were illegally employed by the administration of a former governor of the state, now a senator, Owelle Rochas Okorocha.
The decision of the government was announced in a statement seen by Legit.ng and issued by the management of ISOPADEC on Friday, February 19.
Cabinet reshuffle in the Uzodimma-led government
On Wednesday, May 12, Governor Uzodimma sacked 20 of his commissioners at the end of one of the state's weekly executive council meetings.
The commissioner for information and strategy, Mbadiwe Emelumba, who spoke on behalf of the governor, told journalists that Uzodimma took the decision to enable effective governance in the state.
He disclosed that the eight members of the cabinet retained by the governor include the commissioner for finance, science and technology, health, works, information, youths and sports, women affairs, and tourism.
Source: Legit.ng
