The Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru has suspended the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Mr Francis Ori indefinitely.
Governor Nwifuru also gave three months suspension to the Commissioner for Health, Dr Moses Ekuma over alleged misconduct and dereliction of duties.
Others who are to proceed on a three-month suspension are the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, the Executive Secretary of the State Primarily Healthcare Development Agency and his counterpart in the State’s Health Insurance Agency.
The State Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Jude Okpor made the disclosure while briefing journalists on the outcome of the State’s weekly Executive Council meeting held at the New Government House Abakaliki, the State capital.
The Commissioner noted that following cases of gross misconduct and dereliction of duties by some government officials, the governor directed the indefinite suspension of the Honourable Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development and three months suspension of the Commissioner for Health respectively.
Okpor said, “in view of the development, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Primary Health was directed to take charge of the ministry in the absence of the suspended Commissioner.”
Governor Nwifuru further directed the suspended government officials to hand over all government properties in their possession, including vehicles to the Secretary to the State Government.
Ministerial Debates
Information Commissioner also explained that the State Executive Council has commenced ministerial debates and defence for the MDAs, as part of the activities that precedes the official presentation of the 2025 budget proposal to the House of Assembly by the governor, for statutory legislative consideration and approval.
He stated that the Council further approved the Citizens budget participatory engagement which he said, would take place on Wednesday.
The Commissioner further disclosed that the State Government has concluded plans for the State Broadcasting Corporation, EBBC to become a Public Liability Company registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC.
He said with the development, staff of the establishments who no longer fit into the new administrative configuration of the outfits would be posted to other MDAs where their services are most needed, to further their careers.
“After an exhaustive deliberation on the administrative/independent status of the State-owned Radio and Television Stations, the EBBC, the Council approved the ceding off of the Corporation to become an independent outfit,” he emphasised
Mr Okpor explained that the exercise was aimed at enhancing productivity of the corporation as well boosting accruable economic returns to the State Government, saying that the same applies also to the Ebonyi State Newspapers and Publishing Corporation, Nigerian Patriot.
He however noted that this reform is not aimed at laying any staff of the affected establishments off, but rather aims to make them fully independent, business-oriented and self-reliant.
Okpor also said that the State Executive Council has directed the Head of Service to advertise for the positions of the Auditor General of the state and that of Local Government, following existing vacancies in the areas.
Governor Nwifuru had recently suspended the commissioner for water resources, Mr. Chinedu Nkah also on grounds of gross misconduct, bringing the number of suspended Commissioners to three.
Confidence Okwuchi
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