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Chijioke Agwu, Abakaliki
Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has suspended all Development Centre Coordinators in Afikpo North and Ivo local government areas of the State for enabling interstate travel during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The governor also announced the suspension of the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters as well as the leadership of the Town Union in the State.
In a statement he personally issued on Sunday, Governor Umahi expressed disappointment that those in the State’s boundary areas took bribes and allowed passengers and vehicles to enter into the State.
The governor, who had embarked on private visits to the boundary areas in the two council areas on Saturday night, stated his disappointment seeing vehicles from Port Harcourt and Aba and other states entering the State without restrictions.
He described the development as a disappointment, noting that he might be forced to recruit men from 140 communities across to state to man the boundaries.
“What I saw yesterday at Ivo local government area last night has left me worried about our honesty in doing this job. Between 6:30 pm to 12 midnight, I entered Afikpo North and moved to Ivo. I was so much disappointed. In Ivo, I arrested over ten passenger vehicles with over 50 passengers coming from Abia, Port Harcourt and Lagos. Those on the road took bribes and allowed them to pass.
“I had no option than to arrest those who were said to be doing the work but were only there taking bribes and they are already at the holding centre in Abakaliki. No presence of town union in those locations,” the governor stated.
“All coordinators in Afikpo North and Ivo LGAs are hereby suspended from office effective 10/5/2020. They must handover to member one in their development centres, including vehicles. All political appointees from these two LGAs are to remain on half salary until normalcy is returned, including all traditional rulers from Afikpo North and Ivo LGA.”
“Commissioner for LGA and Permanent Secretary of LGA are to serve one-month working suspension without salaries and if there is no improvement in the running of LGA, they will be removed. The chairman and leadership of the town union in Ebonyi State are hereby suspended.”
Governor Umahi also directed the Commissioner for Local Government, Sam Okoronkwo, to account for the N15 million in funding for the 13 council chairmen for the pandemic response.
