RIVERS State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has issued a stern warning to Permanent Secretaries in the state’s civil service, vowing that those who engaged in illegality and derailed due process during the six-month emergency rule will be held accountable.
News Point Nigeria reports that Governor Fubara gave the warning on Friday while swearing in a newly appointed Permanent Secretary, Austin Ezekiel-Hart, at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
The governor, who expressed disappointment at the conduct of some senior civil servants during the period of emergency governance, declared that records of their infractions had been documented and would be revisited at the appropriate time.
“For every one of you here, the Permanent Secretaries who were involved in illegality, supporting those things that are not the standard of the civil service, your punishment will come. Just be prepared,” Fubara warned.
Governor Fubara reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering commitment to integrity, professionalism, and respect for civil service rules.
He stressed that the civil service remains the backbone of good governance, insisting that it must operate above personal or political considerations.
He urged the new Permanent Secretary, Austin Ezekiel-Hart, to remain steadfast in professionalism, uphold due process, and resist pressures that could compromise his integrity.
“This appointment you got today is because you chose to be a professional. Knowing that you do the right thing, defend your superior. It doesn’t matter, but do it in the right way,” the governor said.
Reflecting on the challenges faced during the emergency rule, Fubara lamented that some Permanent Secretaries failed to guide governance processes appropriately, instead endorsing actions that undermined civil service values.
He made it clear that while the circumstances of the emergency rule might have been extraordinary, civil servants who willingly abandoned due process in favour of illegality would face sanctions.
The governor praised Ezekiel-Hart for standing firm in professionalism despite pressures to compromise, noting that his principled conduct earned him elevation as Permanent Secretary.
He reminded all civil servants that his administration would not demand loyalty to individuals but loyalty to due process, transparency, and the law.
“I have never asked anybody, from my commissioners and anyone that has worked with me, to please me. I always request that you do the right thing so that posterity will judge you,” Fubara stated.
The governor further assured that his administration would continue to strengthen the civil service, ensuring that no directive or influence overrides established rules and procedures.
