Abia sacks board for allegedly flouting government directive

The Abia State government dissolved the board of the State Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development Fund (PPIDF) for flouting government directives.

The Commissioner of Information, John Kalu, who stated this in Umuahia, explained that the Nnamdi Ahiwe-led Board that the dissolved board disregarded government directive that no fresh revenue collection authority be issued to any individual or organization for the current fiscal year pending the completion of the process of computerizing of the state Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

He added that the step was aimed at shoring up the internally generated revenue and plug its leakages, which is supervised by Canadian Software Development Corporation (CSDC).

According to the Commissioner, the government received reports on Tuesday 6th March 2018 of a clash involving alleged revenue collection agents and security agents posted to an individual that claimed to be a licensed PPIDF revenue collection agent.

he added: “The clash led to the death of one person and injury to many others, including security agents. No responsible government will condone the loss of a citizen’s life, especially when it is linked to an action by the board of a government establishment which obviously may have contravened laid down rules of engagement.”

Meanwhile, 119 persons drawn from six of the 17 local government councils in the state has commenced a four-day training in Umuahia on community based targeting team and enumerators on identification and data capturing of poor and vulnerable households.