The Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha has ordered all “leviable adults” in the state to pay N3,000 each as “development levy”.
This was contained in a statement by the State Commissioner for Community Government, Culture and Traditional Affairs, Louis Duru, on Thursday.
According to Duru, the money is to be used for “autonomous community adult development”.
At least 2,000 leviable adults in each of the 637 autonomous communities.
Okorocha warned that the traditional rulers of defaulting communities will have their allowances or salaries suspended.
“To facilitate the payment, the state government through the ministry of CGC, since September 2016, has provided community adult registers for all autonomous communities in the state where the communities will enlist the names of at least 2000 leviable adults”, the statement read.
“Consequently, His Excellency Owelle Anayo Rochas Okorocha has directed that all recognised autonomous communities in Imo State should pay the minimum adult development levy of N6,000,000 (Six million Naira only) without further delay.
“Any recognised autonomous community that fails to pay the development levy will be merged with sister autonomous community that had paid and the salaries/allowances of the traditional ruler ill be suspended.
“Government has concluded arrangements to embark on sensitisation meetings with traditional rulers at the local government areas to further emphasize His Excellency’s directives and monitor compliance,” he said.
