Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike has disclosed the reason why he sacked the Commissioner of Environment, Dr Igbiks Tamuno.
Tamuno was relieved of his appointment on Tuesday via a press statement signed by the governor’s special assistant on Media, Kevin Ebiri with no reason given for his sack.
However, Governor Wike while addressing reporters at the signing of contracts for the construction of phase one of the Trans- Kalahari road and the second phase of the Saakpenwa- Bori- Kono road at the Government House on Wednesday said the Commissioner violated the ethics of the public service.
According to him, the sacked commissioner independently wrote to Julius Berger Nigeria Limited to stop work in the state without the governor’s approval.
Wike who said he saw sabotage in the behavior of Tamuno declared” I don’t know how a Commissioner can write to a company to stop work without my approval. That Julius Berger should stop construction in the entire state. I have never seen something like that ,” he said.
But many are not taking the governors explaination wholly especially as the sacked commissioner was in the middle of a press conference with an international organisation when news of his sack rent the airwaves
An indigene of the state simply called “ELder” said” The sack of a Commissioner in the middle of a press conference in conjunction with an international NGO breeds endless rumours, and plenty is flying Reporters,
” The man could have been sacked the next day,at least. The International NGOs have global networks. Environment too is a global baby. Caution was neccessary,no matter the degree of provocation. Govt’s image makers work oh” he said.
Another who supported the views expressed by Elder went further to say that the governor should have at least, taken cognisance of the integrity of the Commissioner before announcing such detrimental consequences in the media.
” You sack someone without recourse to his integrity. You sack someone right in the middle of of his job. Not seen this kind of imperialism since the Abacha days”.he said
Another observer of events in the state said the governor’s attitude suggested that appointees are glorified office holders who cannot make meaningful contributions to governance and socio- economic growth of the State without first seeking the consent and permission of their Master.
” Disheartening as this situation is, prople who are supposed to speak up about this malady have all been cowed and gone to sleep.
” The Elders too watch with ominous silence while the collective broth of the State is left on the fire to burn unattended to.
” Tommorow, someone will go on to cast aspersions on the Commissioner and the President and claim to be a Messiah of the people”
Meanwhile efforts to reach the affected Commissioner to get his own side of his story proved abortive.
