By Jeff Agbodo

Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has suspended the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr. Uchenna Igwe, over alleged gross misconduct and dereliction of duties.

Nwifuru announced Igwe’s suspension during a briefing with journalists, stating that the commissioner had failed to carry out an important assignment regarding the payment of local government pensions by council chairmen in the state.

This suspension brings the total number of suspended commissioners within one week to four. On November 25, 2024, the governor had already suspended the Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr. Chinedu Nkah, indefinitely, along with the Commissioners for Housing, Mr. Francis Ori, and Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma, for three months.

Additionally, on November 24, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, the Executive Secretaries of the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, and the Ebonyi State Health Insurance Agency were all suspended for three months.