The Governor of Edo State, Governor Adams Oshiomhole on Monday, announced the sack of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Public Utilities, Mr. H. A. Ikhelowa, for unauthorized letting of government property.
The Edo Governor also approved the suspension of the acting General Manager of the state Waste Management Board, Mr. Nicholas Osemwengie, and the Director-in-charge of Street Lights in the Ministry of Environment and Public Utilities, Ejemai Martins.
He said he gave the order because the sacked permanent secretary gave out the Kings Square premises in Benin to a multinational company for 31 days, “at a ridiculous rate of N300,000″.
Oshiomole who made the disclosure at a meeting with permanent secretaries in Benin, urged them to reflect on the challenges of providing good governance in the state
He said, “I have a duty and obligation to explain why we had to retire the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Environment and hope that this will guide you on how you manage your own ministries.
“We are all at the mercy of the Edo people and we would have our jobs secured to the extent that we are able to competently manage our various portfolios in a way our people get maximum benefit.
“While going round in Benin City, you will agree that in spite of all investments we have made, the city has remained substantially unclean. We have refuse in so many places, our walk-ways have been taken over by all manner of persons, and people are parking vehicles on the roads we have expanded thereby denying our people free flow of traffic.
“I have even seen people converting highway to permanent garage where they sell vehicles and you find things like vehicles for sale as if we have expanded the road to serve as a permanent motor park. Public places like the Oba Ovonranwen Square has been turned to refuse dump and across the state, the markets are unclean and I have had a series of meetings with the Ministry of Environment to take their job a little more seriously.”
He further urged civil servants in the state to provide creative leadership in their various ministries and ensure that government policies were properly executed.
The governor said, “We do not need to hire the services of a contractor to replace a bulb on a street light, or a contractor to get a mechanic to fix a generator which is faulty.
“I do not believe we need to hire a contractor to help us procure diesel to ensure generators are working to provide street lights work.”
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