Umahi declares June 23 public holiday to mourn departed commissioner

Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi has declared Wednesday, June 23, as public holiday in the state to mourn the state’s late Commissioner for Infrastructural Development, Mr Fidelis Nweze.

Umahi made the declaration on Tuesday in Abakaliki while announcing the death of the commissioner from injuries sustained in a ghastly motor accident on June 19.

The governor directed that all offices and markets be shut in the state and declared a four-day mourning period to elapse on June 26.

“All government officials in collaboration with the state branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) would organise prayer and fasting sessions all through the mourning period.

“We have to pray for his family and the ring-road project which he was the chairman of its committee for the past six years,” he said.

He described Nweze as his younger brother, son and indispensable pillar of his administration since 2015.

“He died on the morning of June 21, at the Turkish Hospital Abuja.

“He was travelling to Enugu on Saturday, June 19, about 7.pm with his orderly and driver as his vehicle rammed into a stationery articulated vehicle around Obinagu area of the state.

“They were all conscious after the accident as his orderly and driver sustained slight injuries and were discharged from hospital,” he said.

Umahi further explained that Nweze had neck injuries and experienced severe pains in the stomach which made him to direct that he be transferred to the Turkish Hospital, Abuja.

“I directed my personal physician and another reputable doctor to assist in his treatment and it was discovered after examination that the seat belt he used, ruptured his intestines.

“He underwent a successful operation and I directed that he should be placed in the intensive care unit for adequate care.

“I called the hospital about 8’o’clock on the morning of June 2, and learnt that he experienced a crisis as I was later informed that he died at about 9.50 am,” he said.

NAN recalls that the state had on May 15, lost its commissioner for Housing, Mrs Uchechi Okah.