Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has appointed himself as the Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Physical Planning in the state as he swore in 24 Commissioners and 19 Special Advisers as new members of the newly expanded State Executive Council......READ THE FULL STORY>>.....READ THE FULL STORY>>
At the swearing-in ceremony held in Owerri, the state capital on Tuesday, Uzodimma said his decision to take charge of the Land Ministry was because of the need to restore the confidence of the residents in the ministry.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser, Oguwike Nwachuku, the governor noted that his self-appointment will rid the ministry of “criminal-minded fellows who portrayed the government in a bad light.”
“The office of the governor will play supervisory role over the land ministry for now for the purpose of ridding the place of certain developments by some criminal-minded fellows which have portrayed the government in a bad light,” the CPS said.
“I am certain most Imo people would love the governor to hold that position for as long as he remains in office because they trust his ability to protect their common patrimony,” he added.
The development is coming on the heels of allegations against a former governor of the State, Rochas Okorocha
who was alleged to have acquired massive expanse of lands in the state in different local government areas for himself, family members and associates.
There have also been several protests in several parts of the state as residents protested over alleged land grabbing by the state government.