Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi State.
By Victor Nwegede
The Ebonyi State Government has declared an all-out war on corruption, crime cartels, and inefficiency in public service, rolling out sweeping reforms aimed at repositioning the economy, strengthening education, and tightening security.
Rising from a crucial State Executive Council (EXCO) meeting presided over by Governor Francis Nwifuru at the weekend, the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Barr. Ikeuwa Omebeh, told journalists on Friday at Abakaliki that the council approved landmark bills and directives designed to sanitize governance and entrench accountability.
On security, Omebeh said the government moved decisively to checkmate scrap dealers, whom it linked to theft, vandalism, and other criminal activities across the state.
He disclosed that the EXCO approved the transmission of an executive bill to the House of Assembly seeking to regulate their operations.
Omebeh noted that the proposed law would introduce tough punitive measures to flush out criminal elements hiding under the trade.
To plug leakages and strengthen the revenue base, the Commissioner announced that EXCO had adopted recommendations from a forensic probe into the Ebonyi Internal Revenue Service.
In his words, the reforms included a complete rejig of the agency’s membership, forensic audit of its banking system, stricter contract bidding procedures, and uncompromising sanctions against fraudulent practices.
Speaking on the state government's bold step to reposition education, the Commissioner said the EXCO has approved an executive bill establishing the Ebonyi State Education Development Trust Fund.
The fund, Omebeh explained, would mobilize resources from government, private sector players, and development partners to finance infrastructure, teacher training, ICT integration, scholarships, and school feeding programmes.
He further disclosed that 33 staff of the King David Gifted Academy have been granted a waiver for absorption into the State Secondary Education Board, in recognition of their consistent contributions to academic excellence.
"To deepen oversight, all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) were directed to submit detailed reports of ongoing projects to the Ministry of Project Monitoring and Evaluation for effective supervision and timely delivery," he added.
He stated that the council also reviewed proposals for the development of the Ebonyi Olympic Sports Centre and summoned the management of EBOTRANS to appear before EXCO to give account of its operations.
Omebeh stressed that the Nwifuru administration was determined to stamp out inefficiency and abuse of office while building a sustainable economic and educational future for Ebonyi children.
“The governor and EXCO are committed to entrenching accountability, protecting public resources, and delivering governance that secures both the present and future of Ebonyi people,” the Commissioner said.
