By Funmilayo Akinyemi
Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, South-South Nigeria, has ordered the arrest of six of his Commissioners and a Local Government Chairman, over alleged contract violations.
The affected Commissioners include Professor Omari Omaka (Tertiary Education), Victor Chukwu (Environment), Ifeanyi Ogbuewu (Culture and Tourism), Uchenna Igwe (Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters), Moses Ekuma (Health), and Felix Igboke (Project Monitoring).
Also arrested was the Chairman of Afikpo Local Government Council, Mr. Timothy Nwachi, who has reportedly been suspended.
The officials who were reportedly declared wanted before their eventual arrest, were accused of breaching the terms of constructing 140 housing units for two communities, Izzo and Amaze, displaced by the communal crisis in Ishielu Local Government Area of the State.
Chairman of the State Executive Council Committee, Ilang Donatus, while commenting on the Izzo and Amaze Housing Project, stated that the action was taken due to the officials’ and contractors’ failure to adhere to contract terms.
Donatus noted that the officials were delaying the housing project, which Governor Nwifuru had planned to commission in celebration of his second anniversary in office.
He stated: “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 those projects.
“As you can see, our Governor is a man with a passionate heart, he likes giving succour, hence the building of those houses for the victims of the communal crisis. He is not happy that the project is delayed and has ordered the arrest of all the commissioners who are supposed to ensure speedy completion of the housing units.
