KOH AT: Deputy commissioner, Kohat, Zahir Shah Momand has asked the officers to work with the newly-elected councillors according to the spirit of the Local Government Ordinance 2013 and facilitate them during the transitional period so as to provide maximum benefit to masses.

Mr Momand was chairing a meeting at his office to review the performance of the government departments here on Tuesday.

The officials informed him about various difficulties which they had been facing, while the DC called for smooth devolution to the grassroots level.

He said that compared to past when the district received Rs1.60 billion it would now be given Rs42 billion for the development work, and utilisation of such a huge amount demanded honesty and hard work.

The meeting was attended by additional deputy commissioner Fakhruddin, assistant commissioner Lachi tehsil Mohammad Arshad and heads of the relevant departments.

He made it clear that the government machinery and new LG members should adjust to work together for providing facilities to the people.

He feared that in the beginning impediments would come in the way of the local government, which these would be removed amicably.

He termed the new system a test of the abilities of both the public representatives and the officials to spend the huge amount of funds.

Mr Momand asked the health officials not to allow entry of medical representatives to the hospitals before 12:30pm so that doctors could treat patients with full attention. Correspondent