Twenty seven new commissioners recently appointed by governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, have been sworn in, with a charge to perform or be shown the way out. Three out of the number are women while seven new ministries were created to strengthen the administration.
The new ministries are the Ministry of Strategy and Social Development, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Ministry of Inter State Affairs and Ministry of Small, Medium Entrepreneur Development. Others are Ministry of Conflict and Boundary Resolution, Special Duties Establishment and Training, Special Duties, Vulnerable Groups, Women.
Addressing the new commissioners, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu charged them to see their appointment as a call to duty. He said that Abia is in need of credible men and women and urged them to serve with humility and fear of God as well as try to correct whatever shortcomings witnessed in the past state executive council. “We also believe that if there were things we did not do properly during the last council that you are called upon to fill that gap and do it better this time around.
“Abia State today is not just in need of men and women. We are in need of men, women that can be trusted. People on whose shoulders the development of Abia State is going to rest for the rest of the tenure of this administration. Therefore I want to make it clear that the position you occupy today you occupy on behalf of your people and the people of Abia State. It is not a position with which you have been called to oppress anyone”, he said.
The Governor expressed confidence that the commissioners are capable of leading Abia to the next level of development and urged them to make use of the opportunity to serve the people of the state and be bridge builders in their areas as he shall no longer tolerate commissioners that no longer reach the grassroots.
“Something is peculiar with this particular council and that is that there is no tenure attached to the lifespan of this council. For all those that will work in tandem with this administration they will last but those who will not keep pace and faith with what we have enunciated for ourselves to create better life for Abia people they may easily fall by the wayside”.
Responding on behalf of the others, the Commissioner for Works, Hon Eziuche Ubani promised to meet the expectation of the governor and people of the state and pledged to be loyal to the government.
