Governor Arrests Commissioners for Environment, Culture and Tourism, Health, Chieftaincy Matters, LG Chairman, Others
Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has arrested six commissioners over alleged involvement in the breach of a contract for the construction of 140 housing units for the Izzo and Amaze communities.
The arrested commissioners are:
- Professor Omari Omaka (Tertiary Education)
- Victor Chukwu (Environment)
- Ifeanyi Ogbuewu (Culture and Tourism)
- Uchenna Igwe (Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters)
- Moses Ekuma (Health)
- Felix Igboke (Project Monitoring)
Additionally, the Chairman of Afikpo Local Government Area, Mr. Timothy Nwachi, was suspended.
It was gathered that the affected commissioners, before their arrest, were declared wanted by the state government.
Governor Nwifuru, through the Chairman of the State Executive Council Committee on the Izzo and Amaze Housing Project, Ilang Donatus, said that the government felt the affected commissioners and contractors had breached the terms and conditions of the contract given to them by the government.
According to the governor, the commissioners and contractors are accused of sabotaging his plan to commission the housing units to mark his two-year anniversary in the state.
“The governor is not happy over the pace of the work which ought to have been completed. The government has decided to clamp down on the contractors and commissioners who were mandated to supervise these projects,” Donatus said.
Mrs. Maria Okohu, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Women Mobilization for Ebonyi Central and a member of the Executive Council Committee, stated that the non-completion of the projects by the contractors and the failure of some commissioners to strictly supervise them as directed by the government was an act of sabotage.
The governor has ordered that arrests continue until all the commissioners and contractors involved are brought to justice and the necessary actions are taken.
The Nigeria Police has issued invitation letters to some of the fleeing commissioners and contractors who were not at home when the committee visited.
