By PETER OKUTU
ABAKALIKI—Ebonyi State government yesterday sacked the Special Adviser to Governor Martin Elechi on Information Communication Technology, ICT, Mr. Lawrence Nwezza, for acts of gross insubordination and dereliction of duty.

Addressing newsmen at the end of the State Executive Council meeting, Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Mr. Chike Onwe, who regretted the removal of the SA on ICT, explained that the governor had “the powers to hire and fire anybody in his employ and also not to explain reasons for his action”.

Vanguard, however, learnt that the removal of the SA might be connected with the inability of the internet services provider put in place by government to function effectively, despite the huge funds invested in the project.

According to him, the state government has decided that the state-owned university, EBSU, will no longer run as a multi-campus university.

He noted that the Ezzamgbo campus of the institution would now serve as permanent site of the university, adding that the State Ministry of Lands, Survey and Housing was expected to liaise with the university authorities to identify the actual boundaries of the land to enable the government start the process of developing the permanent site.

He said: “After the development plan, all other campuses around would have to be merged. Council decided that Ebonyi State University, EBSU, can no longer run as a multi-campus university.

“Council frowns at the poor representation of Ebonyi people in federal establishment. The council noted that most of our chances at the federal level were sold by those who have the opportunity of getting themselves of the opportunity.

“Council also frowned at the issuance of Identification Letters to non indigenes and some traditional rulers and Council Chairmen and from hence forth such thing will not be allowed. Consequently, council has directed that a data bank of all unemployed youths in the state be developed.

“The Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development has been mandated to open 26 Registers, two for each local government area. One to register all O’level ungraduates; two to register all graduates in the LGA.

“That register will be reviewed on weekly bases by his Excellency himself to enable him response speedily when there are any opportunities in any federal establishment for Ebonyi State.”