JUST IN: Ebonyi gov suspends 2 commissioners

Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has suspended the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma, and the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Francis Ori.

The suspension was announced on Monday during the State Executive Council meeting held in Abakaliki, the state capital.

A statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Jude Okpor, which was sighted by our correspondent on Tuesday morning, read, “Following cases of gross misconduct and dereliction of duties by some government officials and matters related thereto, the Chairman of Council directed the indefinite suspension of the Honourable Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development and three months suspension of the Honourable Commissioner for Health respectively.”

It was learnt that the development may be connected to the alleged theft of pieces of property belonging to the Ministry of Health by its officials and the reported underperformance of the Housing and Urban Development commissioner and his shoddy handling of the Amaeze Housing Scheme in the Ishielu Local Government Area of the state.

Recall that the governor was in the health ministry’s premises on Saturday night and met a scene where six officials were caught allegedly diverting government materials.

He, therefore, ordered their arrest and eventual prosecution.

(Punch)