Ebonyi Governor Suspends Two Commissioners, Others Over Alleged Misconduct

Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has suspended several top government officials over allegations of misconduct and neglect of duties.

The suspended officials include the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, who has been placed on indefinite suspension, and the Commissioner for Health, along with 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, who have all been suspended for three months.

The announcement was made by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Jude Okpor, during a press briefing on Tuesday, following the State Executive Council meeting held on Monday in Abakaliki, the state capital. Okpor explained that the suspensions were a result of “gross misconduct and dereliction of duties” by the officials involved.

In response to the suspensions, the Governor has appointed the Special Assistant to the Governor on Primary Health to temporarily oversee the Ministry of Health in the absence of the suspended Commissioner. The affected officials have been instructed to return all government assets, including vehicles, to the Secretary to the Government.

Governor Nwifuru also highlighted that the State Executive Council had begun discussions on the upcoming 2025 budget proposal, which will soon be presented to the House of Assembly for approval. Additionally, a Citizens Budget Participatory Engagement has been scheduled for Wednesday, November 27, 2024, at the Ecumenical Centre in Abakaliki.

In a significant development, the state government has finalized plans to transform the Ebonyi State Broadcasting Corporation (EBBC) into a Public Liability Company (PLC) registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). This restructuring aims to enhance the productivity and financial sustainability of the corporation, as well as the Ebonyi State Newspapers and Publishing Corporation, Nigerian Patriot. Despite these changes, Okpor emphasized that no staff members would be laid off; instead, staff from the restructured entities would be reassigned to other ministries where their services are needed.

Finally, the State Executive Council has directed the Head of Service to advertise the vacant positions of Auditor General for both the state and local government.