WATCH VIDEO: Why We Embarked On Enumeration Of Abia State Traditional Rulers - Comm, Uzor Nwachukwu

The honorable commissioner for Chieftaincy and Local Government Affairs Prince Uzor Nwachukwu, has explained that the ministry decided to embark on the enumeration of Traditional Rulers in Abia State due to the need to have an accurate figure of traditional rulers in the state.

The commissioner who stated this in an ALL FACTS TELEVSION (AFTV) online interactive program tagged FOCAL POINT, revealed that when he assumed office the ministry could not state categorically the number of traditional rulers in the state.

[caption id="attachment_168147" align="alignnone" width="1193"] Abia State Commissioner For Chieftaincy and Local Government Affairs - Prince Uzor Nwachukwu (R) and the anchor - Emenike Iroegbu[/caption]

"When I came in here, there was no reliable data of the number traditional rulers in this state. When I asked, they said they are over 700 traditional rulers in the state. What is the accurate figure? they do not know, but every month monies are paid.

"When we called for the files, it may interest you to know that more than half of the names in that file are already dead. So, we have in our file's names of more dead traditional rulers than those that are alive

"So, we believe that where to start from is to identify who are our traditional rulers, the once that are alive, who are they and how many are they. With what Governor Alex wants to do for our traditional rulers, we need to identify them and know who they are".

Prince Uzor Nwachukwu who posited that what they initiated was enumeration and not biometric verification as been peddled, went further to explain that before they embarked on the enumeration, they had an extensive interaction with the leadership of the traditional rulers in Abia State and they all agreed that the enumeration should be done.

"It may interest you to know that the process (enumeration) is being coordinated by the traditional rulers. The only thing the ministry did was to produce forms, handed over to them and they went to their LGAs and distributed it to their members. So, it wasn't even the ministry that distributed the forms and none of them was asked to come here".

On the issue of traditional rulers' stipends, the honorable commissioner stated that the governor wants to obey the law to the latter by making sure that what is due to traditional ruler gets to them. He made it clear that the governor will make available the 5% which is statutorily by law to the traditional rulers every month.

"I want to assure our traditional rulers that every dim of the 5% located to them will get to them. Nobody will pilfer a pin on the road". He stated.

WATCH VIDEO:

https://www.youtube.com/live/0vFqbBQ0aK8?feature=share