Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has ordered the arrest of six commissioners and suspended a local government chairman over their alleged involvement in the breach of a contract for the construction of 140 housing units for the Izzo and Amaze communities.
The arrested commissioners are 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). In addition, the Chairman of Afikpo Local Government Area, Mr. Timothy Nwachi, has been suspended.
The arrest follows a declaration by the state government, naming the affected commissioners as wanted individuals for allegedly failing to meet the terms of the contract to complete the housing project.
Governor Nwifuru expressed his dissatisfaction with the delay in completing the housing units, which were intended to be commissioned on the second anniversary of his administration. The Governor’s spokesperson, Ilang Donatus, who chairs the State Executive Council Committee on the Izzo and Amaze Housing Project, said:
“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 supposed to supervise those projects.”
Donatus emphasized that the governor’s heart was in providing relief for the victims of the communal crisis, which the housing units were meant to address.
“The delay is disappointing. The governor has ordered the arrest of all the commissioners who were supposed to ensure the speedy completion of the housing units,” Donatus added.
Mrs. Maria Okohu, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Women Mobilization for Ebonyi Central, who is also a member of the Executive Council Committee, condemned the failure to complete the project on time. She said:
“Non-completion of the projects by the contractors and the failure of some of the commissioners to strictly supervise them as directed by the government is an act of sabotage.”
The governor has vowed that arrests will continue until all those responsible are held accountable. The police have reportedly issued invitations to some of the commissioners and contractors who were absent when the committee visited.
