Ebonyi governor suspends two commissioners, others

Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has suspended indefinitely the State Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Francis Ori.

Mr Nwifuru also suspended for three months the State Commissioner for Health, Moses Ekuma.

Others suspended for three months include the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health, the executive secretaries of the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, and the Ebonyi State Health Insurance Agency.

According to the Commissioner for Information, Jude Okpor, the officials were suspended for alleged misconduct and dereliction of duties.

Mr Okpor stated this on Tuesday while briefing journalists on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting held at the New Government House Abakaliki on Monday.

“Following cases of gross misconduct and dereliction of duties by some government officials and matters related thereto, the Chairman of Council directed the indefinite suspension of the Honourable Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development and three months suspension of the Honourable Commissioner for Health respectively.

“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 directed the suspended government officials to hand over all government properties, including vehicles, to the Secretary to the Government.

Reasons for suspension

While the statement accused the officials of dereliction of duty and misconduct, the health officials are believed to have been suspended following the weekend incident in which some health ministry officials were caught carting away health records.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Governor Nwifuru intercepted the officials inside the ministry’s premises while they were loading the health records into a van.

On investigation, it was discovered that the officials had struck a deal with someone to buy the documents.

The officials, the buyer, the driver and about seven others involved have been handed over to the police for further investigation and possible prosecution.

Budget

Mr Okpor said that the State Executive Council has also begun ministerial debates and defence for the MDAs, marking the commencement of the processes preceding the official presentation of the 2025 budget proposal to the Ebonyi House of Assembly for statutory legislative consideration and approval.

He stated that the Council further approved the Citizen’s budget participatory engagement, which will take place on Wednesday, 27 November, at the Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki, by 10 a.m.

Government-owned media to become public liability companies

Mr Okpor further stated that the state government has concluded plans for the Ebonyi State Broadcasting Corporation (EBBC) to become a public liability company.

He explained that with the development, staff of the establishments who no longer fit into the new administrative and the independent configuration of the outfits would be posted to other MDAs where their services are needed.

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“After an exhaustive deliberation on the administrative 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.

“This is aimed at raising the productivity level of the corporation as well as boosting accruable economic returns to the State Government. The same applies to the Ebonyi State Newspapers and Publishing Corporation, Nigerian Patriot.

“EXCO noted that this reform is not in any way tilting towards sacking any member of staff of the establishments but sees this as a move to re-jig the outfits towards making them fully independent, business-oriented and self-reliant,” he said.