Joe Effiong, Uyo,
Akwa Ibom state governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel has been advised to immediately reshuffle his cabinet since many of his key commissioners operating on acting capacity are derailing his governance.
The former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state,
Chief Victor Iyanam who gave this advice while speaking to newsmen in Uyo, said doing so would get rid of the part-time syndrome inherent in the system and give the administration some fresh energy and direction.
Reacting to the current state of affairs in the state ministries of works, agriculture and women affairz Iyanam said Emmanuel may not achieve much with part-time commissioners in these very key ministries, unless he engages sufficient and competent hands in his executive council if he is committed to his completion agenda.
The governor had since sacked the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Uduak Udoinyang, and appointed the substantive Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Dr Gloria Edet to also double as Commissioner for Agriculture.
Recently, erstwhile Commissioner for Works, Mr Ephraim Inyang was appointed Chief of Staff to Governor Udom Emmanuel leaving the Ministry of Works without a substantive Commissioner even as Inyang is said to be having an oversight responsibility in that ministry till a new commissioner is appointed.
Consequently, Iyanam faulted that the state would not experience expected development with just few men being overburdened with responsibilities that ought to have been shared.
Iyanam opined that if it was difficult for the ministries of Works, Agriculture and Woman Affairs to function optimally under substantive and dedicated Commissioners, then those on part-time may have a tough time meeting Governor Emmanuel’s completion agenda.
He advised the Governor to look into the state and bring out qualified sons and daughters of the state to exclusively run the affairs of the affected ministries.
“The schedule for those ministries will suffer. Look at what is happening to our construction sites, uncompleted projects all over the state. Go to the third ring road, behind the Osong Ama, nothing is happening there. Drive round the state, there are very many uncompleted projects. That was even as we had a substantive Works Commissioner, what would happen now that he is on part time?”.
“The responsibility of a Chief of State is huge and he must constantly be with the governor. He cannot shuttle these two very demanding work schedules. That ministry will suffer.
“The ministries of Agriculture and Women Affairs are also very significant and too big for just an individual, both demand a full-time approach. They must be solely managed.
“The Governor should just dissolve the cabinet and set up a fresh one so that such renewed effort may assist him to wind up well”. Iyanam said. END