Ebonyi governor, Umahi suspends permanent secretary for extorting civil servants

Governor of Ebonyi State has given the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Head of Service, Martin Uguru an indefinite suspension for extorting civil servants.

In a statement released in Abakaliki on Friday by the Principal Secretary to the governor, Emmanuel Obasi, the suspension is to take effect from April 1, 2022.

Obasi expressed that the governor frowned at the collection of kickbacks from recently promoted civil servants in which the permanent secretary was found complicit.
“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,” the statement read.

“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.”

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

The governor also ordered the posting of the Permanent Secretary, Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) to the Office of Head of Service in acting capacity.