Fear Grips Imo Govt Appointees, As Governor Removes Commissioner For Lands, Special Adviser
By Onyekachi Eze
There is fire on the mountain among appointees of the Imo State Government as the Governor appears to be determined in restoring decorum, sanity among his aides.
Barely two weeks after the Imo State guber election which the incumbent Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma won by landslide, he may have been poised to restrategize for the work ahead.
Although this Newspaper is yet to ascertain what may have necessitated the sudden action, two of the Governors aides have been relieved of their duties.
The State government through a media release by the Secretary to the Government of Imo State, Chief Cosmos Iwu at the late hours of Wednesday announced the suspension of the Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Physical Planning, Mr Noble Abiaso Atulegwu and the MD/Special Adviser on Imo Housing Corporation, Barr Chinedu Mbakwe Obi.
The special announcement went further to direct the two to handover to the most senior officers in their respective offices.
Grapevine sources told this Newspaper that the removal of the lands commissioner may not be unconnected to the series of protests and allegations bordering on land grabbing.
In recent times, people of Owerri North, Uratta, Owerri West those at the old Road, and others within the metropolis, including some landed properties belonging to churches and individuals had besieged the government House seeking for Governor’s attention to warn his aides of encroaching into their lands.
Another offence may be the issue of job overlapping and suspected sitting on promotion of staff.
With the two officials withdrawn from their services, others are said to have learnt from them so as not to enter into the bad book of their principal or risk similar sack especially now he has won for a second tenure.
