The Imo State Executive Council (EXCO) rose on Wednesday from its regular meeting presided over by Governor Hope Uzodimma, and directed that cash payments will no longer be accepted in the ministries, departments and agencies of government.

Briefing reporters after the meeting the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, also informed that Imo State is ready to receive the Covid-19 vaccine before the end of the week.

“Government has put in place the necessary conditions for the supply which include: preserving the vaccine in the 305 INEC Wards of the State with solar powered refrigerators.

“Government has also released a reasonable amount of money for the training of those who will carry out the vaccination administration as many people will be captured in the first phase of the programme,” Emelumba explained.

He reiterated that henceforth all Imo people have been given final notice against encouraging or partaking in revenue leakages and that the Government has stopped the issuance of cash receipts for any form of transaction.

“All payments must be done through the Bank which must go through the Treasury Single Account (TSA).”

“It has therefore warned all Ministries Departments and Agencies to desist from accepting cash on any payment belonging to the Government,” he said, insisting that anybody who violates the laid down rules will face very unpleasant consequences.

Emelumba reiterated that Exco noted that financial regulations are very important and that strict adherence to their enforcement will be followed.

Commissioner for Finance, Chuck Chuckemeka, who buttressed the decision reached on revenue leakage and plans to stop it informed that anybody who is asked to pay cash for any government transaction should report to his office or that of the Chairman of Imo Internal Revenue Service (IIRS.)

The Commissioner for Information also informed that EXCO reemphasised the early empowerment of the Ministry of Lands and Survey, Imo State to carry out the full implementation of recovery of all lands and property of Government based on the whitepaper report on violation of Owerri Master Plan.

However, he noted that owners of the Ekwema Crescent layout which was illegally allotted to people by the Okorocha administration without any law are fortunate as the Government did not revoke their land. “Government has ordered that the land be returned to the original owners and that anything developed on such land belongs to the owners.”

Singling out the old IBC quarters at Orji in Owerri where the former Governor Rochas Okorocha built his Rochas Foundation College, Government emphasised that the property belongs to the Government and has been marked for full recovery.

In the same vein Emelumba said Council observed the distortion of the New Owerri Master Plan and noted that the current administration is poised to recover the area, warning that any structure on the original Master Plan will be demolished.

Furthermore, he said it was discovered by EXCO that the Government of Okorocha allotted the Imo State Government Layouts in Orlu to his family, friends and cronnies, pointing out that “the Government of Uzodimma will definitely recover that layout as part of those property illegally acquired.”

The Commissioner for Information and Strategy said that “government has obtained court order permitting her to recover every property illegally acquired by former Governor of Imo State and Senator representing Imo West in the National Assembly, Senator Rochas Okorocha.” He added that government has given Okorocha till April 21, 2021 to come and show proof of ownership of the said property or it will be finally forfeited to the State Government.

Emelumba said that the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has finally called off its industrial strike which has lasted for so long. The doctors called off the strike on February 23, 2021.

“Government believes such gesture will bring about industrial harmony between the doctors and the government,” Emelumba said.

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