Amaechi Sacks SA's, Queries Commissioners For Absenteeism

By Blessing Wikina - Ag. Chief Press Secretary to the Governor

Monday, March 1, 2010

Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi had ordered that all Special Advisers and Special Assistants to him who were either late or absent at this month’s Inter-Ministerial Meeting, should be relieved of their appointments immediately.

Similarly, Commissioners and Permanent Secretaries who were also absent without permission, or that came late after the roll call should be queried and disciplined accordingly, while the Secretary to Government has been directed to ensure that all SA’s affected are served their letters.
Governor Amaechi who gave these orders today at the monthly Inter-Ministerial Meeting in Government House, Port Harcourt, said he would meet with the leadership of the ruling party in the state to take decisions on the type of disciplinary measure to be meted out to absentee Chairmen of Local Government Councils.

Governor Amaechi who was unhappy that the appointed officials could treat with levity such an important meeting that is convened monthly to collectively move the state forward.

“I am supposed to be in Abuja with my colleagues, but I had to stay back because of the importance I accord Rivers State, so I will not accept any excuse for this”, he said.

The governor equally directed Commissioner for Power, as well Urban Development Commission to commence the demolition of all structures under the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) high tension lines to avoid a future occurrence of the recent incident of electrocution of people in Port Harcourt.

In the same vein, he directed the Commissioner for Environment to demolish structure built on Oil and Gas pipelines’ right of way, to avoid the hazards associated therein, should there be any incident, to safeguard loss of lives.

The State Chief Executive said the PHCN incident should be a lesson to the residents of Port Harcourt, and advised property owners including private homes, public buildings, markets, and even properties owned by religious groups to cooperate with government agencies in their overall interest.

The governor observed that his efforts to carry out reforms in some institutions are being frustrated by certain bureaucratic bottlenecks, and stressed the need to outsource the management of the new hospitals built by the present administration.

He warned that any private school in the state that does not cooperate with the Ministry of Health on immunization of children, will be shut down, as the government effort to eradicate infant killer diseases cannot be compromised.

Governor Amaechi explained that the rationale behind the inter ministerial meeting was based on the fact that cabinet input was not enough to give adequate direction to the government, hence the expansion of the meeting to harness more inputs.