Palpable fear and tension reign in some of the bureaus and parasatals especially among the political appointees and temporary workers incharge of the affected government agencies.
This Newspaper two weeks ago reported about plans by the government to scrap some bureaus. But the state Government through one of the Governors media aide refuted the story adding that it was figment of the writer(s) imagination.
Despite the denial, Imo Trumpeta can authoritatively reveal that it is no yet uhuru for the political appointees in charge of the going bureaus, as the Okorocha led government me is either involved in double speak or insincere in it’s reaction to issues that affect the state.
Indications that the present administration is not willing to parade some of the bureaus emerged when the state government issued payment for the statutory monthly subvention to ministries, parasatals departments and bureaus from the Office of the Accountant General. In the release which is referred to a schedule, many parasatals, departments and bureaus/parasatals, 22 were excluded from the list expected to get monthly subvention as indicated in the schedule.
When Imo Trumpeta exposed the Governor’s plot to scrap the bureaus and the surreptitious manner he would use to eliminate them from the system, a meeting was arranged between the affected or listed bureaus with the state government where the governor reportedly changed tactics and informed those in-charge of the establishments that they would henceforth be self-reliant as the state government is privatizing all the establishments to enhance internal generated revenue of the state.
Dissatisfied with the non release of fund to some of the agencies, another meeting was scheduled between the political appointees in charge of the bureaus and parasatals with the governor.
At the meeting held last Thursday which started 7pm till night, the governor did not hesitate to intimate them his desire to scrap the Ministries as he querried the rationale behind the establishment and continued existence of some bureaus.
He took in some of the political appointees’ in-charge of the bureaus to not only explain reasons for their continued existence but what they have been able to do for the Rescue Government.
At the end of the meeting, some bureaus were merged, while the monthly subvention of others were either stopped or reduced. For instance, the bureau for Niger Delta which used to receive N.7mwas now reduced to a paltry sum of N150,000 while N8m due to the state literary board was reviewed as the number of citizen of the state queried the rationale behind allocating such amount to the state literary board. The Governor reportedly threatened to demolish the state library near the Government House and erect a magnificent and modern structure to quench the taste of the reading public.
Imo Trumpeta had on Thursday 8 Nov. 2012 edition reported that as part of policy reform in Imo, Okorocha is to scrap Government Bureaus and political appointees may lose positions.
Among the bureaus either be merged or totally scraped are bureau for procurement, price, and intelligence, political bureau for conflict resolution, bureau for Niger Delta and traditional Rulers and Chieftaincy affairs.
Some hire casual workers and temporary staff working in this government agencies are in trouble waters as the new development may affect their monthly income and allowances.
