Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has sacked his Special Assistant on Primary Health (Ebonyi Central Zone), Stephanie Ugo-Chima, for absconding from duty for over a month.
Dr. Hyginus Nwokwu, Secretary to the State Government, made the disclosure on Wednesday in Abakaliki during a joint state Executive Council meeting at the council’s chambers.
Nwokwu said Ugo-Chima absconded from her duties and responsibilities as an aide to the governor within the period which necessitated the relieving of her duty.
He said: “The insinuation that her sack was political is unfounded because all appointment or sack of public officers is political.
“There are laid down rules for such appointments, but the civil service rules are not applied in these cases because such appointees are not civil servants.”
The SSG also clarified the issue of the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in the state, Elizabeth Ogbaga, who had also not been seen in her official duties and public functions for long.
“Ogbaga as far as the office of the SSG is concerned, is on leave,” he said.
“A Local Government Area (LGA) development centre coordinator and two LGA advisory committee members were also sworn-in during the council’s meeting,” he added.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that sacked Ugo-Chima is the wife of Chief Innocent Ugo-Chima, former member of the House of Representatives and the governor’s ally.
Ogbaga, who also absented from duties, is the wife of the former Minster of Steel, Chief Goddy Ogbaga, who recently decamped from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.
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