New River states governor Wike begins probe of former Rivers state governor

Governor Wike has asked all Permanent Secretaries in the state to produce full account details of their Ministries’ expenditure in the last 18 months. Read the press statement below...

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has directed Permanent Secretaries in the state   to produce   full account details  of their Ministries ' expenditure  over the  last 18 months.

This is even as the  governor  advised  the permanent  secretaries  to  shun partisan politics  as career civil  servants,  saying the roles some of  them played in  the  closing  days of the immediate  past administration  were politically  motivated. 

Addressing  permanent  secretaries  during  a meeting  at Government  House,  Port Harcourt on Tuesday,  Wike regretted that some of the  permanent  secretaries helped the immediate  past  administration to illegally  withdraw  funds from the State Government  coffers even  up to the  28th of May,  2015.

He said : "I want full details  and print out of every  ministry's  account  in the  last 18 months. I will not accept  any  handover  note without  an accompanying account  details. 

"The  government  was coming  to  a close and some of  you were busy  signing cheques on 26,27 and 28 of May. On 28 of May, the Transition  Committee  called most of you and you refused to cooperate  because  they  told you  I will  not be sworn-in. "

The  governor  noted  that  he  will  not witch hunt any civil servant irrespective  of his/her role in the electioneering  period . He, however,  said that no civil servant  would  be  allowed  to  sabotage  the  efforts of  his administration. 

He urged the  permanent  secretaries  to  work  with  his administration  to revive  the  state  and put back smile  on  the  faces of  the  people. 

"Those of  you  who  want to work  with  us to develop  Rivers  State  will get the necessary  support.  You are career civil  servants and not politicians.  As civil  servants,  don't play  the role  of politicians ", he said. 

The  Rivers  State  Governor  pointed out  that  the  back-dated employments  and indiscriminate  issuance  of certificates  of occupancy by the  immediate  past administration  would be  re-visited. 

He specifically  directed the Permanent  Secretary  in  the  Ministry  of  Lands and Survey to produce  the relevant  land documents  for examination. 

The permanent  secretaries  were led to the meeting by the Head of  Service,  Barrister  Samuel  LongJohn.  

Others  who attended  the  meeting  were the former  Minister  of  Sports,  Dr  Tammy  Danagogo,  Former  Deputy  governor,  Tele  Ikuru  and Secretary  of  the  Transition  Committee,  Barrister  Frank Owhor.