Top govt. functionaries in Ebonyi to forfeit salaries, overheads for lateness
Gov. Dave Umahi of Ebonyi on Monday, ordered that 16 top government functionaries in the state should forfeit their September and October salaries and overheads for coming late to a function.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the functionaries came late to a debate competition organised by the government as part of activities to mark the nation’s 55th anniversary and 19th year of the state’s creation.
The functionaries include commissioners, special advisers, assistants, members of boards, local government areas (LGA) caretaker Committee chairmen, among others.
Others include, the Principal Secretary to the Governor, Commissioner for Environment- Chief Moses Ogodo-Ali, Commissioner for Economic Empowerment and Poverty Alleviation- Chief Sabinus Nwankwagu, among others.
Umahi, who expressed dismay over the lateness of the officials, noted that the government intends to restore sanity to governance in the state.
He commended the organisers and participants at the debate with the theme, ‘Anti Corruption and Internally Generated Revenue Drive: the only Panacea for Economic Development in Ebonyi’.
“It is pertinent to state that not all public office holders are corrupt; the malaise is a matter of the individual’s conscience.’
“The government will recover all funds paid by the people to Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) for pre-paid metres, as the company always offer excuses for non-provision of the facilities,” he said.
In his remark, Rev. Father Abraham Nwali, Senior Special Adviser (SSA) on Religious Affairs and Welfare to the governor said the masses suffer most from the effects of corruption.
He said that efforts should be made to enforce all recommendations made in several fora to fight corruption, adding that beneficiaries of canker worm always find ways of making it thrive.
One of the LG Caretaker Committee Chairman affected by the order, told NAN under condition of anonymity that the chairmen came late to the function because they were attending the state’s Joint Allocation Committee (JAC) meeting.
(NAN)