Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, on Wednesday inaugurated a large cabinet with 12 out of 15 re-appointed commissioners retaining their portfolios.
Umahi assigned the offices while swearing-in 26 commissioners, 18 members of the Local Government Area (LGA) Advisory Committee and 13 Coordinators out of the 64 Development Centers of the state.
The commissioner who retained their portfolios include: Mrs. Rebecca Ogbuewu (Women Affairs/Social Development); Chief Moses Ogodo-Ali (Agriculture/ Natural Resources); Mr. Emmanuel Nwobo (Special Projects); and Mr Uchenna Orji (Human Capital Development and Monitoring).
Mr Charlse Akpuenika (Youth Development and Sports); Mrs Elizabeth Ogbaga (Culture and Tourism); Mr Cletus Ofoke (Attorney General/ Commissioner for Justice); Sunday Inyima (Housing/ Urban Development); and Dr Daniel Umezurike (Health) also retained their portfolios.
The others are: Dr Sunday Nwangele (Grants/ Donor Agencies) and Chief Samuel Okoronkwo (Local Government and Chieftaincy matters.
Mr. Emmanuel Uguru, former Commissioner for Power presently oversees the ministry of Environment while Mr. Fidelis Nweze, former Commissioner for Works and Transport is now the commissioner for Infrastructural Development and Concession.
Mrs. Uchechi Okah, former Commissioner for Project Monitoring is the Commissioner for Water Resources while Chief Donatus Njoku former Commissioner for Environment oversees the Commerce and Industry ministry.
The newly appointed Commissioners include: Mr. Stanley Okoro-Emegha (Border, Peace and Security); Mr. Jonah Egba (Solid Minerals); Mr. Kenneth Uhuo (Information and Orientation); Dr Stephen Odoh (Education); and Dr Joseph Ekuma Nkama (Investment and Abuja Liaison Office).
The rest are Mr Uche Okah (Water Resources); Chinwe Okah (Budget/ Planning); Prof. Ogbonnaya Chukwu (Finance and Economic Development); Mrs Oluchuwu Ukie-Ezeali (Project Monitoring); and Moses Oshibe (Lands and Survey).
The governor said he expected a ‘robust engagement’ from the appointees in order to assist the people and robustly develop the state.
“This is not a form of patronage but a sign that the state is in a hurry to deploy available talents to check the national and global economic challenges.
“We are using the 13 coordinators to ‘test waters’ as they are supposed to be in charge of primary, secondary schools and primary health centres within their development centres,” he said.
He charged the appointees to use their capacities to generate money for the state because there were lots of loose funds to be accessed.
Mr Cletus Ofoke, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, commended the governor for ensuring adequate geographical spread in the appointments as captured in section 14, subsection 4 of the 1999 constitution as amended.
“The appointees have been duly cleared by the state House of Assembly and are expected to bring their knowledge and experience to bear in the overall development of the state,” he said.
Chief Solomon Okoronkwo, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, who spoke on behalf of the appointees, thanked the government for appointing them and pledged to justify the confidence reposed in them.