The Rivers State House of Assembly Committee on Local Government Affairs visited Okrika Local Government Council on Friday, September 14, 2012.
The committee which was set up to visit all LGAs in the state with a view to ascertaining projects executed by the chairmen, was headed by Hon. Lucky Odili, representing Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni constituency II in the RSHA.
They were received by the Acting chairman, Dr. Godknows Tam George.
Dr. George who was less than two months old as Acting chairman, gave account of his activities so far.
After lauding the LGA for doing so well in terms of sports and winning so many laurels in displays such as boat regatta and others, boosting the image of Rivers, he said he identified God as the missing factor in the LGA leading to misunderstanding and immediately took it as a priority.
“As far as I know it, if there are no problems, if there is no spiritual connotation, there won’t be any physical manifestation in this life. Nothing happens without spiritual connotation or involvement. As soon as I came in, I decided to immediately swing into action on issues relating to how to solve the problems in the Council. Immediately I knew that what was missing was God,” Tam George stated.
He went further to state, “I immediately called the staff of the Council and told them that I did not come to give you anything but God. I only came here to lay God as a foundation for the council. It is just like a man building a house. After the design if the foundation is wrong, the entire building will be wrong. So I decided to tackle the foundational problem which is, not knowing God.”
It would be recalled that Dr. George invited David Ibiyeomie of the Salvation Ministries to carry out the cleansing of the LGA.
Dr. George said he concentrated on the existing projects instead of carrying out his own, as government is a continuing process.
He said his resort to spiritual help led to the existence of peace in the council and the entire LGA.
He took the committee round to inspect projects at Kalio Ama, George Ama and Okrika Chiefs Hall, including the painting of the police station.
The leader of the team, Hon. Odili, acknowledged the short tenure of Dr. Tam and said they would have done an in-depth analysis but were hampered by the short tenure.
Meanwhile the suspended chairman, Hon. Tamuno Williams has been recalled as at the time of going to press.
Hon. Tamuno who has been hailed by Okrikans as a performing chairman is to resume duty on Wednesday, September 19, 2012.
The suspension was his second within the short period he has been the chairman.
He would resume duty with his vice, Hon. Sunday Mbremieye.
The scale however has turned against Hon. Golden Promise Ikpuku, leader of the legislature who has been at loggerhead, with the chairman, Hon. Williams, if the rumours making the rounds are true.
An order from above, according to sources, was that he be replaced as leader of the legislative arm to ensure peace and progress in the council.
When contacted on phone, the leader said he was unaware of the rumour and wondered who must have raised it.
He said, there exists a cordial relationship between the executive and the legislature as they have just ended a meeting together. ####
Kenneth Amabipi
