Abia State Commissioner for Information, Boni Iwuoha, says the state government has resolved to conduct local government elections before the end of 2016.
Iwuoha made this known when he briefed newsmen on the outcome of the state executive council meeting in Umuahia on Wednesday.
He said the council took the decision after giving thorough consideration to the implications, effects, consequences and development that are common with local governments’ elections.
“The decision to conduct the elections was not informed by revenue generation capability of local governments; rather, the government was interested in political development of the state,’’ he said.
The commissioner said that the state government had ordered Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) to provide a template on “how and when the elections will hold”.
On revenue, Iwuoha said that the state government was determined to key into the Federal Government’s revenue collection harmonisation programme for every state of the federation.
“Abia government has received and accepted an internally generated revenue policy document which was produced by the IGR Committee,
“And it is believed that this policy will address all issues relating to revenue collection.’’