ABAKALIKI, Nigeria — Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has suspended three Commissioners in his cabinet for absenteeism during the state executive council meeting held on Monday, March 17, 2025.
The affected Commissioners are Solomon Azi (Grants and Donor Agencies), Victor Chukwu (Environment), and Ikeuwa Omebe (Rural Development).
The suspension, which lasts for one month, was announced by the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Jude Okpor, during a press briefing on the outcome of the executive council meeting.
Okpor stated that the Commissioners were absent without permission, prompting the Governor to take disciplinary action.
“The Governor warned against absenteeism and lackadaisical attitude to work by public servants in the state,” Okpor said.
He added that Nwifuru directed the suspended Commissioners to be relieved of all privileges attached to their offices during the suspension period.
Governor Nwifuru also used the opportunity to issue a stern warning to contractors handling government projects in the state.
He urged them to expedite efforts in delivering projects in accordance with contractual agreements, emphasising that the government would not hesitate to use legal means to enforce compliance.
In other developments, the Executive Council approved several projects aimed at advancing the infrastructural needs of the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Afikpo.
These include the construction of staff quarters, a female hostel, and a health clinic.
“This is in line with His Excellency’s resolve to complement the Renewed Hope initiative of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to provide a conducive environment for both staff and corps members of the scheme,” Okpor said.
The council also approved N40 million for the Ministry of Water Resources to construct a central water store, with an emphasis on protecting the ministry’s equipment and consumables.
In a celebratory note, the council recognised the achievements of the Victorious EBSU Faculty of Law Team, which represented Nigeria at the 33rd Christof Heyns African Moot Court Competition held in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2024.
The team, comprising Michael Agu-Ebeke, Ibor Cynthia Nwamaka, and their guardian, Dr. (Mrs) Chioma Vivian Iteshi, emerged victorious, defeating 68 Anglophone and 15 Francophone teams.
“In one of the fiercest tests of legal brilliance in the African continent, the Ebonyi State University team emerged victorious, becoming the first Nigerian faculty of law to do so in 33 years,” Okpor said.
The Governor conferred the prestigious Ebonyi State Honour Award on the team members, rewarding each with N5 million.
He expressed delight at their exceptional feat and reiterated his administration’s commitment to prioritising educational transformation in the state.
Nwifuru also urged the leadership of Ebonyi State University and other tertiary institutions in the state to embrace practical-based research to produce solution-oriented graduates in line with the demands of contemporary society.
