The absence of Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State from the state might have opened up some issues that need to be addressed for the proper discharge of duties of government by the workers in the state.
This came as indications have emerged that official activities in Benue State have been partially shutdown following the three weeks annual leave embarked upon by Governor Samuel Ortom.
No one knows exactly what their reasons are. But, it may not be unconnected to some grievances they might have which they may be trying to convey by their actions as workers do sometimes.
According to The Guardian, prior to
this, government appointees, teachers and local government employees
had complained about non-payment of their March 2019 salaries for over a
week after the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs had
its monthly Joint Account meeting.
Before
embarking on vacation last Wednesday, Ortom had transmitted a letter to
the state House of Assembly after the elections that saw him reelected
for a second term.Consequent on the Assembly’s approval, he delegated
powers to his Deputy, Benson Abounu to be Acting Governor, as constitutionally stipulated.
However,
a few days after leaving governance for Abounu, nothing seems to be
working, as government activities in most of the ministries have been paralysed.
Consequently,
most heads of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) have
allegedly absconded from their duty post in pursuit of their private
businesses.When The Guardian visited the state’s Civil Service
Secretariat in Makurdi with other journalists, most offices of
commissioners, permanent secretaries and other key government officials
were under lock and key.
This
development posed a serious challenge as some people who the ministries
to perform one businesses or the other had to leave disappointed, as
there were no staff to attend to them.Another visit to the Cabinet
Office, housing office of Secretary to the State Government (SSG),
Special Advisers (SAs), Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) and other
government appointees, revealed that the few members of staff on duty
were ill prepared to perform any official tasks.
But one of the employees said: “l only came today to pick my personal effects, which l forgot in the office. As
you can see, the SSG is not on seat.“We have about 13 special advisers
in various offices here too and none of them are in the office today
because they are running away from people and are not ready to assist.”
Effort
to speak with the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Joseph
Shimaor, was not successful, as he could not respond to calls to his
cell phone. But
when contacted, Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Ogaba Ede
Ogaba, wondered why journalists were monitoring the movement of
commissioners in the state, saying: “It is not true that they have
absconded from their duties.”
It is expected
that the state government addresses the issue as early as possible to
ensure that everything works out well and that the workers return fully to their duty posts.
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