Y>>The Imo State House of Assembly on Thursday suspended 27 Local Government Chairmen for repeatedly failing their failure to appear before it.
The House made the resolution following a motion moved by the member representing Nkwerre state constituency, Hon Chika Madumere, after the snubbed the invitation extended to them since April 25.
The Chairmen had been directed to appear before the House with their Directors of Administration and General Services (DAGS) and Treasurers over allegations of gross misconduct and financial recklessness.
It was gathered that the Chairmen instead appeared before the House alone with other Council officials and were directed to return on May 9 with them.
However while the designated LGA officials appeared before the House on the rescheduled date, the Chairmen failed to appear.
Ruling in favour of the motion, the Speaker, Rt. Hon Acho Ihim, ruled that the Council Chairmen be suspended indefinitely while their Vice Chairmen take over.
He also ruled that the Chairmen should still submit to the ongoing investigations into the allegations against them by the House Committee on Local Government and Public Accounts headed by Lawman Duruji (Ehime Mbano).
The Speaker, further directed that the suspended Chairmen to return all government property in their possession and mandated the Clerk of the House to write to the state Commissioner of Police to enforce the restriction on their use of government property.
