The Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief David Umahi has ordered the immediate suspension of five special assistants on markets for failure to guard marketers in observing the COVID-19 safety protocols.
The affected aides were suspended less than one month after they were appointed and swore-in at the ecumenical centre, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital.
Recall that the governor who is supposedly on isolation visited the Margret Umahi Int’l Market Abakaliki where he discovered that the said aides were not on duty.
The suspension of the aides, came barely a week the governor suspended two auditor generals and a state coordinator of FADAMA 111.
The governor in a statement signed by the Secretary to the state government, SSG, Dr. Kenneth Ugbala, directed the affected persons to handover their official vehicles.
Those suspended are: Jacinta Nworie, SA in charge of lot 5 of the market; Kirian Ofoke(lot 2); Philip Eworo(lot 4); Francisca Okeke(lot 1) and Chukwuma Ofoke (lot 3).
The statement reads: “The Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, has noted with sadness that during his afternoon inspection at the Margret Umahi Int’l Market Abakaliki, that 99% of the market people did not wear nose masks and the five Special Assistants to the Governor on Markets were not seen on site.
“The Governor has, therefore, placed the 5 Special Assistants on market on indefinite suspension effective from Wednesday 15th of July, 2020.
“They are to hand over their official vehicles immediately to the Secretary to the State Govt. and coordinating Commissioner.
“The secretary to the state govt. is hereby directed to post STAs and TAs back to the Margret Umahi Int’l Market Abakaliki to immediately take charge of the location while the SSG supervises them henceforth.
“The Governor, hereby warns that he will have the Market shut down if they continue to violate NCDC protocol on COVID 19” the statement noted.
