The Ebony State Government has indefinitely suspended without pay the Chairman and Board members of the State Pipe Production company over the vandalization of electricity generating machine.
The suspension was disclosed by the State Head of Service, Chamberlain Nwele, and the Senior Special Assistant to Governor David Umahi on Internal Security, Kenneth Ugbala, while briefing newsmen on the outcome of State Executive Council meeting of Tuesday.
The Council also directed that due process should be followed to ensure that adequate disciplinary actions were taken against all civil servants working in the company, while all ad-hoc workers have been relieved of their jobs forthwith.
Similarly, the Council gave approval for the prosecution of the men of the Nigeria Police Force who were on duty at the company during the theft.
The Head of Service expressed worry over the spate of cannibalisation of Government’s property located in the company, adding that this was the second time such an incident has occurred in the plant.
Nwele lamented: “This is the second time vandalization is taking place in that place and government spent a lot to replace the items that were removed.
“And all civil servants working there, due process will be followed to ensure that disciplinary action is taken against them.
“Council decided that all board members of the pipe production company be placed on indefinite suspension without salary and they cannot access company account.”
Elaborating further, the SSA to the Governor on Internal Security recalled that on June 26, 2018, the council received a security information that the pipeline machines generating electricity to the company was vandalized while men from the Nigeria Police Force were on duty.
He described as unbelievable that security personnel would be on duty while such acts would be performed unnoticed, adding that his office and that of the State Attorney General were directed to follow up the matter, hence the suspension order
He said: “It is incredile that the men will be on duty while the machines were cannibalized.
“The council deliberated today and gave the directive that the Nigeria Police should immediately prosecute the police personnel that were on duty the day these machines were cannibalized.
“They were arrested that particular day on my supervision as security adviser to the governor.
“Council directed my office together with that of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to follow it to a dead end and make sure that the law takes it effect on them.”
The Ebonyi Pipe Production Company, which was repositioned earlier by the Umahi-led administration for optimal production, started dwindling after some time for reasons unknown.
All efforts of Government to make the company viable seemed to have always hit the rocks