All is not well with the Rivers State Government, this is even as four serving Commissioners in the administration of Siminalayi Fubara, have since resigned their appointments.
Recall that the Commissioner for Works, George Kelly, and the Commissioner of Power, Henry Ogiri, had earlier resigned. The latest to join in the rank of resigned Commissioners are the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Rivers State, Prof. Zacchaeus Adango, and the Commissioner for Finance, Isaac Kamalu. The duo resigned their appointments yesterday, April 24.
According to report, Kelly and Ogiri had resigned following their appointment by the Federal Government. While Kamalu and Adango, resigned following their redeployment out of their Ministries to another.
VANGUARD reported that the State Governor had in a circular signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, approved that the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, be moved to Ministry of Special Duties (Governor’s Office). He also ordered that the Commissioner for Finance now be reposted to Barr. Isaac Kamalu, Ministry of Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment.
The two redeployed Commissioners, however, rejected their transfer to other ministries. This indicating that the much sought peace for in the state was yet to be attained.
The Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Prof. Zacchaeus Adango, noted noted that his decision for the rejection was for the sake of his integrity.
Recall that Adango, had earlier in the wake of the political war between Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, resigned his position. But he was later restored to his position following the intervention of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu.
It was also gathered that after the restoration, Adango has not been in the good books of the Governor. This is because of his continuous loyalty for the FCT Minister, Wike.
In tendering his resignation letter he captioned, ‘ Cabinet Re-shufflement: Notice of Rejection of Deployment and Resignation from the Rivers State, Executive Council‘, stated that he was not consulted before his deployment.
The letter read: “My attention has been drawn to your letter dated 23rd April, 2024. And widely circulated on social media, whereby, I was “deployed to the Ministry of Special Duties (Governor’s Office).
“Further to the referenced letter, I hereby give you notice of my rejection of the said deployment. And resignation from the Rivers State Executive Council with effect from 24th day of April, 2024.
“I wish to state for the record, that I am no longer willing to continue to serve in the administration of His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, Governor of Rivers State, in any capacity whatsoever.
“It is important to mention that the Governor of Rivers State had in the past couple of weeks willfully interfered with the performance of my duties as the Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Rivers State. By directing me not to defend, oppose, or appear in suits instituted against the Honourable Attorney-General and the Government of Rivers State by persons admittedly hired and sponsored by the Government of Rivers State.
“That having served the Government and good people of Rivers State dutifully as member of the Rivers State Executive Council for the past five (5) years, it has become imperative for me to quit the administration in order to preserve my reputation.”
In the same swoop, Kamalu also tendered his resignation from the cabinet of the Rivers State Government. He stated that the peace instituted by President Ahmed Tinubu is not yet in sight.
Kamalu faulted the Governor’s claim on the improvement of the revenue of the State from N12 billion to N27 billion. He added that the claim was erroneous.
He wrote: “Your Excellency would recall that I served under the Administration of His Excellency, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON, GSSRS, POS (now Honorable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja) originally as Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning (2015-2019). And subsequently, as Commissioner for Finance-with oversight responsibility for the Rivers State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning (2019 – 2023).
“The mandates of the respective Ministries were to the best of our abilities (as Ministries) duly carried out. And at all times material, relevant reforms were embarked upon for improved performance and effective and sustainable service delivery.
“Among several others, we successfully carried out the following: Initiating and (supporting existing) policy frameworks for enhanced internal revenue generation. This with (necessary adjustments made on some of the programs) led to the increase in the Internal revenue receipts. This steady rise has been on for some years now, culminating in what the State is presently generating. Though not the figures erroneously claimed in the Media.
“You will respectfully recall that when the climate of discord became unbearable I and other like-minded members of the Executive Council that were appointed by you, resigned. You, thereafter, engaged His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and as Father of the Nation to intervene in the matter.
“In deference to the directive of Mr. President, I and the others were recalled and we all accepted and joined the Cabinet again. I expected Sir, that with the opportunity provided by Mr. President, every effort will be made to sustain peace.
“Regrettably, Your Excellency, the peace in Government and governance that we all – citizens and residents-of the State desire has remained out of reach. This is despite our consistent efforts and demand for same. This has affected our ability to protect and defend the gains that we made these past years.
“In the course of official engagements, I have reiterated on the need for this peace and the fact we all are willing and determined to work for this. It is very difficult to deliver good governance where there is acrimony and discord. It is not the point of service that is important, but the climate. Our present circumstance makes service delivery extremely challenging. I still hold the belief that it is never too late for peace.”
But the Rivers State Government has reacted to the resignation of the two Commissioners from the Cabinet of the Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara. It maintained that the resignation would not affect the administration in anyway.
This was contained in a statement by the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson.
Reacting to the development in Port Harcourt, Johnson stated that every appointee has the reserved right to resign if he so wishes.
The Commissioner noted that those who are resigning have refused to shape up to the peace made by President Ahmed Tinubu. He, however, maintained that the Rivers State Government was keeping to the terms of the peace deal.
“Somebody has the right to resign his appointment and the Governor has the right to appoint. They have the right to resign. If the Governor appoints you and you don’t want to stay, you resign.
“They resigned on their own volition; the Governor did not sack them. Two people resigning from the cabinet of his Excellence will not affect the administration. How will it affect the administration? Are there no other Commissioners, even Permanent Secretaries and Directors?
“The structure of the civil service is such that the engine room cannot stop just without just one person. If there is no Commissioner, does it mean the Ministry will not function.
“It is misrepresentation. Whoever is saying that is overreaching himself. If the President has put peace in place and some people are not still comfortable, they can shape out. The peace the President made is visible. And those who are not ready to shape up should ship out and they are beginning to ship out.
“Those of them who are not shaping up will. Two of them have decided to leave. They are not the only ones who resigned that time. For now, only two people have resigned. George Kelly had a Federal Appointment. The Commissioner for Power also resigned because he had a Federal Appointment too,” the Commissioner said.
source: Vanguard
