By Anayo Okoli

Umuahia—ABIA State Government says it has hired the services of a financial consultant to block revenue leakages and shore up the internally generated revenue of the state.

Information and Culture and Tourism, Mr. John Nwokocha disclosed this while briefing journalists at the Government House Umuahia, on the outcome of last week’s state executive council meeting.

Nwokocha said the consultant had been placed on a three month contract, after which he will be asked to continue or dropped, depending on his performance.

He said that the executive council resolved that local government chairmen in the state should not collect rates in markets owned to the state government, as it had been discovered that some local government chairmen go beyond their jurisdiction with respect to collection of fees in the markets.

According to him, the government also resolved that activities of miners at Ohiya in Umuahia South LGA be stopped and all fees owed it by the miners be paid immediately.

In the light of this, he announced that a seven-man committee had been set up with the Commissioner for Special Petroleum, Public Utilities, Environment, Special Adviser to the Governor on Security and representatives of the Commissioner of Police and the Director SSS as members.