GOVERNOR Dave Umahi has suspended five permanent secretaries in the state civil service for six months over alleged “lack of commitment.”
Umahi disclosed this yesterday while swearing in 11 commissioners and the newly appointed Special Assistants and Senior Special Assistants at the Government House in Abakaliki.
The 11 commissioners were members of the state executive council dissolved by the governor a few weeks ago.
Nine out of the 11 commissioners retained their positions while two others were assigned new portfolios.
They are – Chief Clement Nweke (Housing and Urban Development), Ann Aligwe (Human Capital Development), Charlse Akpuenika (Youth Development and Sports), and Chinwe Okah (Women Affairs).
Others are – Chioma Nweze (Investment), Chief Emmanuel Uguru (Lands and Survey), Oluchukwu Ukie-Ezeali (Project Monitoring), Elizabeth Ogbaga (Culture and Tourism) and Chief Ogodo-Ali Nome (Agriculture and Natural Resources).
Eze Nwachukwu was appointed the Commissioner for Market and Park Development while Joseph Ekuma-Nkama takes charge of Inter-governmental Affairs.
Umahi said the affected permanent secretaries were from the ministries of health, education, communication, sports, and solid minerals.
He said: “The Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and the commissioner for human capital development should organise six months training for them which I would sponsor.
“They should be taught what a permanent secretary is, how to prepare a memorandum and how to take responsibilities in their ministries.
“The SSG and the acting Head of Service should identify ministries without permanent secretaries and fill such positions with the most intelligent official in such ministries.
“The official can be on grade level 10 but would be promoted to level 14 because I need help in the ministries.”
The governor said underperforming permanent secretaries would henceforth be demoted by two grade levels and disengaged from the system.
“The permanent secretary is the real owner of the ministry and the issue with the suspended ones was not dullness but lack of commitment,” he added.
