JUST IN: ‘No records in their ministries’ says Gov. Fubara as he berates pro-Wike ex-commissioners

Siminalayi Fubara, the governor of Rivers State, attacked a few of his former commissioners on Tuesday, claiming that they departed their ministries empty-handed.

Fubara revealed this on Tuesday during the oath-taking ceremony of eight newly appointed commissioners, who were allies in the state House of Assembly.

Recall that nine commissioners who remained devoted to former Rivers Governor and Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike recently tendered their resignations due to the ongoing conflict between the former and the current governor.

Speaking just after the new commissioners were sworn in at the Government House in Port Harcourt’s Executive Council Chambers, Fubara stated that following the departure of the outgoing commissioners, government employees searched their departments for certain records that they were unable to locate.

He, therefore, urged the eight new commissioners to imbibe the culture of keeping accurate records of their dealings in their various ministries.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Nelson Chukwudi, and made available to journalists on Wednesday.

Fubara maintained that such culture was significant for the effective operation of any organised system, particularly the civil service because it offers a useful history of events, decisions, and actions, including indices of productivity.

The eight new commissioners include Charles Bekee, Collins Onunwo, Solomon Eke, Dr. Peter Medee, Elloka Amadi, Basoene Benibo, Tambari Gbara; and Dr. Ovy Chukwuma.

The statement quoted Fubara as saying, “I know what I am saying. Some of them left here as commissioners, and there are no records in their ministries. We’ve had a few meetings with people. We were looking for records which we could not find, but that is for them and their gods, I am not bothered about that.

“But, you that are coming in now, please, do this work as seasoned administrators. Work with your Permanent Secretaries. The things that you don’t know, ask questions from them, they’ll tell you, they will teach you too. It doesn’t reduce you as not being the head. But it helps you to succeed as a good administrator.”

Fubara enjoined the new commissioners to emulate his work culture and pay attention to details, adding that it should reflect the records they keep.

“Let me say this. This government is birthed by high-level discipline. I don’t know about other people who are working with me, but as a person, from the time that I started working as a civil servant, from the time I worked in the Office of the Accountant-General with my boss, we didn’t play with keeping good records.

“I can boldly stand here to say that whatever transpired, the records are there right from the time when we worked from 2007 to date. They are there for anybody to go and see.

“Likewise, what happened from the time of the immediate past administration, I carefully kept my records clean. The records are there.”

“So, I am not bothered or afraid. Call me any day, call me anytime, I will stand and defend every action, every decision that we have taken,” the statement added.