Governor Umahi Sacks Permanent Secretary over Corruption Allegation

The Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has suspended the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Head of Service, Mr Martin Uguru, indefinitely for alleged extortion of civil servants.

In a statement issued in Abakaliki on Friday by the Principal Secretary to the governor, Chief Emmanuel Obasi, it noted that the suspension took effect from April 1, 2022.

According to Obasi, Governor Umahi condemned the collection of kickback from recently promoted civil servants in which the permanent secretary was found involved.

The statement stated that: “The money demanded by civil servants in charge of the process, was for the typing and collection of the document containing details of the promotion, they claimed.

“The governor directed the Secretary to the State Government to issue the letter of indefinite suspension to the permanent secretary for his complicity in the scam.

“All heads of administration and persons involved in this exploitation are to forfeit one month’s salary each.

“The concerned heads of administration are hereby directed to fully refund all monies collected from the newly-promoted civil servants.

“The refund should be paid directly to their bank accounts and such officials should submit the bank tellers to the Principal Secretary to the governor within 48 hours.

“Failure to comply with this directive attracts dismissal from the state civil service.'’

The statement also noted that if there were requirements to process relevant promotion documents as claimed, such requirements should be brought to the notice of the state governor by the Office of the Head of Service.

“That is the proper thing to do rather than resorting to exploitation of the newly-promoted civil servants,’’ the statement added.