By Chinonso Alozie, Owerri
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, Wednesday said the current economic recession in the country could not be an impediment to the payment of N3,000 development levy introduced by his administration in the State.

Okorocha stated this through his Commissioner for Information, Tourism and Public Utilities, Hon Obinna Nshirim, while fielding questions in the government owned Radio Station, 94.4 FM in the State.

Gov. Rochas Okorocha

It would be recalled that the controversial N3,000 development levy almost caused pandemonium at the Imo State House Assembly, where the lawmakers engaged in a heated debate over the implementation of the policy as regard, the “economic recession in the State.”

In explaining the policy, the commissioner asserted that the development levy was not a “tax” but a counterpart fund for community development. He also said that, it was a yearly contribution.

” The 3,000 development levy is not a tax, a tax is a money imposed by government which you pay to the government and the government uses it as it pleases to solve whatever is your problem. ”

He added that, ” The development levy is a levy which you pay into your account as your own counterpart fund and government brings their own and with two of them something will be done for the community. ”

He continued, ” When you contribute and I contribute, there will be tendency to generally supervise that project. “