Newly elected governor of Imo state, Emeka Ihedioha, has ordered all permanent secretaries in the state to ensure a proper hand over of all documents used by the immediate past administration to him without further delay.
Ihedioha gave the directive while inaugurating the newly appointed Secretary to the State Government, Uche Onyeagucha and Chief of Staff, Chris Okewulonu at Government House, Owerri, on Monday.
He also directed the state’s Head of Civil Service, Mrs. Ama Eluwa, and the Principal Secretary to Government House, Emeka Duru, who both worked with the immediate-past administration, to ensure strict compliance to the directive.
The governor expressed regrets that up till today, no formal document has been handed over to him.
He said, “To our Permanent Secretaries, government must function. We are already behind by five days. I will direct the Head of Service and the Principal Secretary to ensure the complete handover of all government properties that the last administration utilized on behalf of the people of Imo state to the Secretary to the Government and the Chief of Staff. I want that process to be completed by midnight tomorrow (Tuesday).”
The governor promised to follow due process and respect the rule of law in government affairs, while also assuring that he would work to provide good governance to the people.
Addressing the newly inaugurated officers, Ihedioha said, “These appointments are very crucial to the take-off of our administration. I have confidence in these two principal officers and others already appointed. I believe they, more than any other, understand the direction of my thoughts and our road map.
He added: “I call on Imo people to support them in their work to ensure that they succeed in the task of directing policies and programmes of our administration in order to bring Imo back to sanity and stability and make it grow to a higher level of operation. Imo should and must be the best.”
