By Onyekachi Eze
The newly promoted 27 Local Government Area Directors to Grade level 17, and subsequently to the post of Heads of Administration, HoA, are in for a serious trouble following a motion to investigate the circumstances surrounding their appointments.
The honourable member representing Aboh Mbaise State constituency in Imo State House of Assembly, Hon Eddy Obinna had at the last plenary session of the State legislature in Wednesday moved a motion urging the Speaker to set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the alleged fraudulent and improper appointments of the aforementioned persons by the sacked Local Government Service Commission.
In the motion tagged, “Motion to investigate the improper and fraudulent appointment of 27 L.G.A Directors to grade level 17 and subsequently to the position of Heads of Administration in the unified Local Government System in the State, by the dissolved Local Government service Commission”, the chief mover and seconder, Eddy Obinna and Uche Ogbuagu, respectively want them to be thoroughly investigated, especially when the body that appointed them were dissolved by the incumbent administration led by Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha.
Hon Eddy Obinna said that the motion is aimed at removing every vestige of corrupt practices that was associated with the immediate past administration that brought Imo to the present sorry state, adding that as legislators, they must ensure that the business of Government is carried out meritoriously and transparently too.
Presenting his motion as contained in the order paper, the Aboh Mbaise lawmaker said,
“Whereas, the Local Government National scheme of service of 2006 allows the appointment of qualified Directors to grade level 17 and to the position of Heads of Administration through laid down rules and procedures”.
“Aware that since 2006, this appointment has not been effected here in Imo State, but was hurriedly, secretly and fraudulently done by the immediate past Administration in a manner that fell short of due process and back-dated it”.
“Further aware that the Local Government Service Commission before the said appointment, has been dissolved by the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, thereby rendering the Commission ineffectual to carry out such exercise”.
“Observed that Gen.35 which is the enabling instrument for confirmation of appointment, was signed and issued by a Director in the Commission, in lieu of a Permanent Secretary. This is a direct confirmation that the said appointment was done after the dissolution of the commission”.
“Further observed that the appointments were done without following seniority list in the Local Governments.
Worried that the appointments were effected without the required interviews”.
“Consequent upon the above alleged improper and fraudulent appointments of undeserved Directors from the 27 L.G.As of the state that leaves much to be desired.
However, the State Assembly resolved as follows;
“To Summon the Director in the Local Government Service Commission that supervised the said appointments to appear before the committee with all the necessary documents pertaining to the appointments”.
“The DAF in the Commission should submit to the committee, the comprehensive list of those that benefited from the appointments”.
“The beneficiaries of the said fraudulent appointments to appear before the committee to answer to the allegations”.
Supporters of the motion were Ihitte/Uboma and Isu lawmakers respectively, Hon. Michael Onyemaechi Njoku, and Rt. Hon. Ngozi Obiefule, while Rt. Hon. Lawman Duruji of Ehime Mbano spoke against.
After robust debate, the Speaker who presided over the session, Rt Hon Collins Chiji constituted an ad-hoc investigative committee to be chaired by Hon. Chief Eddy Obinna-Ochoudo, alongside Hon. Chyna Iwuanyanwu and Hon. Uche Ogbuagu as Members.
