Governor Alex Otti of Abia State
Otti dissolves 17 local government transition committees
… blows hot over non-compliance with handover by heads of dissolved agencies, boards, warns of dire consequences
From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia
Abia State governor, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, has dissolved the political leadership of local government administration in the state.
A statement by the Governor’s Adviser (Media and Publicity), Ferdinand Ekeoma, on Thursday, June 1, 2023, said that Otti has approved the dissolution of the 17 Local Government Transition Committees and removal of all Chairmen and their Deputies.
The Transition Committees were appointed in January this year before the 2023 general elections. Their appointments followed the expiration of the elected chairmen, deputy chairmen and councilors by the end of December last year.
Ekeoma said that the Governor directed that the removed Chairmen should hand over to the Heads of Service of their respective Local Governments.
Similarly, the Governor has also approved the removal of the Education Secretaries of the 17 Local Governments, just as each of the affected Education Secretaries has been directed to hand over to the most Senior Director.
“These directives take immediate effect, therefore, the affected persons should comply and ensure seamless transfer of power in the LGAs,” the statement warned.
In another development Governor Otti has seriously frowned at the recalcitrance of some heads of agencies and parastatals refusing to comply with his directive to handover the running of their offices to the most senior civil servants in the establishments.
The Governor, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, warned that those yet to heed the directive would be punished accordingly.
“It has been brought to the attention of Abia state government that some heads of government establishments and boards dissolved on Tuesday, 30th May, 2023, by the government are yet to comply with the directive of the Governor, thus creating confusion and disaffection in such institutions,” Ekeoma stated.
According to the Media Adviser, the institutions involved include, the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia (BCA), Abia State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB), Abia State Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA), State Education Management Board (SEMB) and other institutions that were not listed.
“Where there’s confusion arising from any kind of ambiguity in seniority, the government would issue a specific directive on the individual to take over.
“Heads of the aforementioned institutions and others that are yet to adhere to the directive are by this release strongly advised to hand over to the most Senior Civil Servant in their respective institutions as earlier directed by government. Failure to comply with this directive would lead to serious disciplinary action against the individuals involved,” the statement warned.
