Governor David Umahi has adduced reasons for the partial dissolution of his Executive Council.
The Secretary to State Government and Coordinating Commissioner, Kenneth Ugbala, had on Friday, while briefing journalists on the outcome of State Executive Council Meeting announced that 83 members, out of the 106 Executive Council members including Commissioners, Senior Special Assistants, Special Adviser, were relieved of their appointments by the Governor.
Governor Umahi in a statewide broadcast on Saturday to mark his six years in office, further announced the dissolution of all Executive Assistants, Senior Technical Assistants and Technical Assistants numbering about 1,000.
He further announced the dissolution of all Boards and Commissions; Management Committees, Liaison Officers and the likes.
He however, exempted certain statutory ones comprising the Civil Service Commission, Local Government Service Commission, Judicial Service Commission, House of Assembly Service Commission and the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission.
Umahi who noted that the current EXCO dissolution was just the first phase, explained that he took the decision to give enough time to some members intending to contest local government election next year.
He also observed that the dissolution was necessary to determine those who were still with him fully and those still courting the opposition in the state.
He further stated that the action would also give freedom to those not satisfied with their earnings under him to exploit other options, promising to incorporate those affected in the state’s empowerment programme.
Umahi said: “Only yesterday in Exco, we had to do two phased dissolution of the Exco.
“The first has taken place, the second one will still take place.
“We had to dissolve them because of growing agitations from those who want to contest election.
“Some are also not satisfied with what they are getting; they think they will be better with may be, empowerment and what to do.
“So, we had to dissolve to give them opportunity, so that those who want to contest election will have enough time, about a year and six months to prepare.
“We will include them among the 3,000 persons we want to empower to start businesses of their own, for those who are not contesting elections.
“But let me make it clear…if anybody thinks that I am governor for just about 4,000 people, he is mistaken.
“If I don’t build roads, hospitals, schools, then, we are just wasting our time.
“For those who have the benefit of having brand new vehicles, having land allocated to them at the Centenary City; having salaries every month, having one form of favour or the other, and they are complaining, it is very unfortunate.
“And that is why we have said, let those who are not satisfied be able to leave, and those who have sympathy for opposition be able to quietly join opposition.
“We will reconstitute these Boards and Commissions, Management Committee when we know who are the politicians that want to contest elections, and then, those who are going to weather the storms with me, who are not interested in contesting another election, will now come back so that we can focus on governance while they focus on politics.”
Meanwhile, those not affected by the Executive Council dissolution included the Secretary to State Government and Coordinating Commissioner, Dr. Kenneth Ugbala; the Head of Service, Chamberlain Nwele; the SSA on Religion and Welfare Matters, Rev. Fr. Abraham Nwali, and twenty others.