Imo Government to go tough on illegal revenue collectors, COVID-19 Protocol Defaulters

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All those collecting revenue illegally in Imo State, claiming to be doing so on behalf of government ministry, department or agency have been warned to desist forthwith or be confronted with the government law enforcement machinery.

For the strict adherence to the Covid-19 protocol for the safety of Imo people, the Exco has made it mandatory for every Imo citizen to wear a face mask or shield in a public place or be arrested and sent to jail for violating the Covid-19 protocol in Imo state.

Rising from the maiden Imo State Executive Council Meeting presided over by the Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, the Government said recent reports on the activities of illegal revenue collectors in the state and the abuse of the Nigerian Centre for Diseases Control (NCDC) protocol by the citizens call for drastic measures to check the defaulters.

It was also an opportunity for Government to reiterate her initial warning and reminders to all Revenue Agencies in the state that the use of Consultants for collection of government revenue in Imo had been abolished.

The government therefore sternly warned that any person(s) caught claiming to be collecting revenue for government under whatever guise will be arrested, prosecuted and sent to jail.

Addressing Journalists, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba informed that “the Executive Council noted with delight that Government has recorded much improvement in the maintenance of roads in Owerri Municipal and its environs” and that “over 15 Owerri Municipal roads and another 15 rural roads are all made motorable which is an improvement on the State of such roads during the same period both in 2019 and 2020.”

The commissioner said that non adherence to the simple corona virus protocols attracts instant arrest and persecution and that compliance to the existing protocols had become imperative or government will consider a second lockdown in the State.

On the issue of resumption of schools, Emelumba said the Exco noted that though the federal government is considering moving the resumption date from January 18 to 25, 2021, “the Imo State Government is still studying the situation and its plausibility to know whether or not to adhere to the said resumption date owing to corona virus resurgence.”

Adding his voice on the reopening of schools, the Commissioner for Education emphasized that all schools in Imo State are bound to adhere to government regulations on the matter. He noted that, “any private school, including Mission schools that go contrary to government directives will be closed down because the concern of government is the effect of Covid-19 on Imo children which do not differentiate between pupils or students of public schools and that of private schools.”