On Tuesday 30th May 2023, the Governor of Abia State, Dr Alex Otti directed heads of agencies and boards in Abia to hand over to the most senior civil servants in their various establishments to hold brief until the Governor makes substantive appointments in those agencies and boards.
The immediate past Executive Secretary of Abia State Secondary Education Management Board Mr Osuagwu handed over to Mr Ekpe Okoronkwo on Friday 2nd June 2023 who is the most Senior civil servant in the seniority list of the Board.
On Tuesday 6th June 2023 Mr. Osuagwu was pressured by Barr Nkwor O’Brien Victor who is from Ministry of Justice to hand over to him again after the first official handover.
Mr. Nkwor claimed that the instructions came from the Deputy Governor and Mr Osuagwu was later called by the Deputy Governor to handover to Mr. Nkwor” who is not from the Ministry of Education. (Mr Osuagwu can be interviewed to show the number that called him and the instructions given to him)
Mr. Osuagwu fearfully obeyed the instructions allegedly emanating from the Deputy Governor and conducted two handover under four days.
Today, all the Staff of the Board who made attempt to state the process that produces an Executive Secretary of the Board, whether on acting or substantive capacity are facing premature retirement, removal from Offices they occupied and transfers from the SEMB headquarters by Barr. Nkwor O’Brien Victor.
Early last week, the Special Adviser to the Governor on education Prof Umeh mediated into the matter and asked the said acting Executive Secretary to rescind those letters he dished out to staff removing them from their offices, undue retirement or transfers but the new emperor has vowed to continue with those actions openly bragging that the Special Adviser can’t tell him what to do hence he has the backing of the Deputy Governor.
He is on radical bid to force all Directors who will be due for the position of the substantive Executive Secretary to retirement brashly to make way for himself as a sole candidate in few Months’ time when the Board will be reconstituted.
No one in SEMB gets to grade level 17 rather 16 to retirement, the Governor should ask Barr Nkwor O’Brien if he is not from ministry of Justice, why is he at grade level 17?
The Governor through the Special Adviser on education Prof Umeh should review the salary structure enjoyed by Barr Nkwor O’Brien Victor and that of other Directors working at SEMB.
It is therefore necessary to bring to the knowledge of the Deputy Governor, the actions the acting Executive Secretary of the SEMB is undertaking at the Board with his name at stake.
A panel of inquiry can be established to verify this report.
It will be too bad that the Government of Dr Alex Otti that has promised to protect the rights and privileges of Abia Civil Servants will be exhibiting brash hostility and injustice through the Office of the Acting Executive Secretary of the Abia State Secondary Education Management Board (SEMB).
PRINCE UMAH-UMAH JNR REPORTING FROM UMUAHIA