Abia State Government (ABSG) says it is embarking on a review and regazeting of autonomous communities across the state to restore order and tranquillity.

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The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Uzor Nwachukwu revealed this on Saturday, at JAAC Secretariat Umuahia, during a statewide meeting of Presidents General of Towns and Development Unions across Abia State, convened by the Abia State Government through the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

Prince Nwachukwu noted that the review was overdue and explained the need for it.

“We are embarking on review of autonomous communities. If we go to our gazettes, as carried out about 11 years ago, when the last gazetting was done, we are overdue, but we are supposed to have re-gazetted by last year because it’s done once every 10 years.

“You see all sorts of operations. You will find instances where one village is gazetted into two autonomous communities.

“You will find instances where one village is in one community but certain kindreds and families are in another community. Those are confusions.

“There are situations where a traditional ruler, in his domain, who is a custodian of an autonomous community, has his village ceded to another Traditional Ruler.

“So he has become a subject of that Traditional Ruler. Are you aware of those things? Those are operations. So this year we are going to do a regazeting.

“These things call for crisis. There is no week I receive anything less than 50 petitions in my office. None!” Prince Nwachukwu stated.

He noted that it is these issues that led to the establishment of conflict management and mediation centres across all the local government by the state government.

Prince Uzor Nwachukwu announced that the state government is going to institutionalise town and development unions in the state.

“We want to institutionalise town and development unions. So, you (participants) can find out that your details have been taken. We want to make sure who the leaders of these town and community development unions in the various communities are.

“So we want to make sure we are doing documentations. The same kind of thing that is happening with traditional institutions, where two, three, four, five people will go through the process of being elected traditional rulers of their places.

“And then one person will win, the other four will not agree. And everybody, four of them or five of them will go to the local government and insist that they must be received. And all of them are received.

“We are putting a stop to all those for the sake of the progress of our land. So we are creating a statewide database,” Prince Nwachukwu stated.

The Commissioner further explained that the state government has no interest in who becomes the President General or the community or town union’s leader.

“And I want to say that the government has no interest in who becomes the president general or the community development chairman of any community.

“We just want to make sure that in your community, you follow your process according to the condition you gave yourself as gathered in the law that is published in the community.

“We are not interested in foisting any leadership on the people. But you must be sure that you are picking the best of your best to become your leaders,” Prince Chukwu explained.

He said that the meeting marks a very decisive step by the Abia State Government to restore and strengthen grassroots governance across the communities, noting that:

“Community, town development unions have long served as the engine of rural development.

“However, over time we have observed lack of clear structure, absence of proper documentation, persistent rural conflicts, especially between the Presidents General and Chairman of community development organisations and their Traditional Rulers.

“The government has both constitutional and statutory responsibility to ensure that community leadership structures are properly organised, recognised and accountable,” Prince Nwachukwu stated.

In order to eliminate ambiguity, the Commissioner clarified that the role of traditional rulers centres around being custodians of culture and tradition, symbols of authority and unity, and representatives of government authority at the community level, while the community development chairman and President General are administrative and development drivers.

He added that development union leaders serve as the interface between the people and the government, executing development initiatives, organising community structures, and supporting peace and coordination.

“There must be no conflict of authority, only collaboration for development,” Prince Nwachukwu stated.

He called on development union leaders to mobilise people for civic responsibilities and stressed that all community leadership must align with recognised government frameworks.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Navy Commander MacDonald Uba (rtd.), described the meeting as novel and noted that the Governor sees security as a collective responsibility.

He urged leaders to take security reports seriously, stressing the need for timely information sharing.

The Mayor of Umunneochi LGA, Hon. Sunday Afuruobi, and Eze Sampson Jinanwa, who represented the 1st Deputy Chairman of Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Nelson Mmerengwa, pledged to work with development unions to foster community development.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Lady Oge Maduka, said the meeting marks the beginning of a new chapter in strengthening grassroots governance, improving coordination, and fostering structured leadership at the community level.

She noted that while town and development unions have played vital roles over the years, evolving governance requires more structured and accountable frameworks aligned with the vision of the present administration.

“This engagement has therefore been convened to establish a direct interface between government and the leadership of town and development unions,” Lady Maduka stated.

Speaking to the press, community leaders including Dr. Greene Nwoha (Oro-Ibere, Ikwuano LGA), Chief Yuccee Ottah Uwah (Abiriba Communal Improvement Union Worldwide, Ohafia LGA), and Hon. Chukwudi Edward Egwuonwu (Ozuitem, Bende LGA) commended Governor Alex Otti for convening the meeting, describing it as unprecedented and impactful for security, peace, and development.

The meeting featured interactive sessions with participants.

E-signed
DIVINE NWANKWO
HOD (INFORMATION)
GOVERNMENT HOUSE, UMUAHIA
11-04-2026.