The governor said that he took the decision because his administration inherited an empty treasury from its predecessor.
Governor
Dave Umahi of Ebonyi has reversed the appointment of 16 Permanent
Secretaries made by former Governor Martin Elechi, barely a week to the
end of his administration.
Umahi made the reversal on Thursday, June 4 in Abakaliki during a
meeting with the leadership of the organised labour in the state and the
Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
The governor said that he took the decision because his administration
inherited an empty treasury from its predecessor.
He said that the appointment of additional permanent secretaries will
therefore create more problems for the state government.
"The state government is finding it difficult to pay workers’ salaries
as it grapples with the challenge of meeting other financial needs.
"The appointment was also riddled with controversies and has witnessed
several agitations against it by organised labour and other relevant
stakeholders,” he said.
The governor has set up a committee headed by the State Deputy Governor,
Kelechi Igwe, to look into the accounts of the state government and
make adequate representation to the government.
"I call on workers to be ready to make some sacrifices and offer
necessary cooperation to ensure that the state attains its developmental
goals,” he said.
The governor also ordered the immediate sack of the General Manager of
the State Environmental Protection Agency (EBSEPA), Dr Chukwuemeka Okeh.
The sack followed a complaint by one of the labour leaders on the filthy
nature of the state, especially Abakaliki.
"The contract of environmental contractors which was earlier terminated
has been reversed immediately, to ensure that the heaps of refuse
littering the capital city are evacuated,” he said.
The Nigeria Labour Congress Chairman (NLC) in the state, Ikechukwu
Nwafor, urged the state government to block all leakages noticed in
public expenditure.
