By Jennifer John
Imo State Government has set up a committee to review the citing and activities of hotels in Owerri city.
This is one of the resolutions of Imo State Executive Council meeting held on Wednesday at the Sam Mbakwe Expanded Executive Chambers, Imo State Government House.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba said that the committee was empowered to seal off any of the hotels found to be improperly sited, as well as those disposing their liquid wastes through the water channels. He said when discovered, the owners of the hotels will also be held responsible and be made to pay the appropriate fines, in accordance with the law of Imo State Environmental Transformation Commission (ENTRACO).
Other resolutions of the council as communicated to newsmen by Emelumba included, the charge on the Imo State Internal Revenue Board to take immediate steps to enforce payment of consumption tax and other lawful taxes which he said has been in place for years without being implemented by the relevant agencies.
He said government discovered that most workers while feeling their verification forms, filled wrong Imo Social Security Number and have given the affected workers seven days to correct the presumed mistake or be regarded as criminals who decided to forge the Social Security Number of the state to illegally and criminally collect salaries from the state government. Also according to Emelumba, council directed the ministry of lands to commence immediate implementation of the white paper on the Judicial Commission of Enquiry on land use and other related matters.