Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has effected minor changes in the Executive Council by swearing in two new commissioners, reassigning another, and splitting one of the ministries.
The new appointees are Trade and Commerce, Salome Obiukwu; Housing, Chiemela Uzoije; and special adviser to the governor on Agriculture, Christian Enweremadu.
Chaka Chukwumereije, the commissioner for the Ministry of Lands and Housing, which was split into two, was assigned the portfolio of the Ministry of Lands.
Similarly, the former commissioner for Trade and Commerce, Kingsley Nwokocha, was deployed to the Ministry of Labour and Productivity.
After swearing them in, in Umuahia, the state capital, he said they have so much to do now that “we have gone past the halftime mark in the first term of this administration”.
According to him, the exercise is part of the administration’s strategy of periodically injecting fresh ideas to enrich its quality and broaden the scope.
Otti congratulated them on the appointments and emphasised the need for them to settle into their roles, stressing that “there is practically no time for a honeymoon”.
”We expect that you will quickly invite and welcome support from every available channel so that it can hit the ground running,” he further said
He reminded them of the administration’s zero-tolerance policy on corruption and warned that the government will not hesitate to sanction those found wanting.
”We shall not hesitate to do what has to be done whenever credible evidence of compromise and bad behaviour is presented to us.”
”You are all required to live above board as public officers with the understanding that this is a call to serve, not an invitation to a banquet.”
He charged them never to get tired of giving at functions like this. “Our administration has zero tolerance for corruption and practices that detract from the public interest.
In a response on behalf of the new appointees, Obiukwu expressed gratitude to him for finding them fit to serve, assuring that they would discharge their duties creditably.
