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Gov Otu orders Ayade’s appointees to vacate buildings, return vehicles

Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has ordered that further auctioning of government properties in any part of the state should halt immediately.

The governor has also directed that past government officials still in possession of official vehicles and other properties should return them immediately.

In a statement signed by Dr. Innocent Eteng, the Permanent Secretary in the General Administration Office of the Secretary to the State Government, the governor also dissolved all governing boards of parastatals, commissions, and agencies other than statutory boards.

He directed that all local government council chairmen, upon expiration of their tenure, hand over to their respective Heads of Local Government Administration (HOLGAS) or Directors-General and Administration (DGSAS) of their local governments.

Otu has also ordered that all government properties, including buildings hitherto occupied by political appointees, be vacated with immediate effect, instructing such affected appointees to hand over to their permanent secretaries or most senior directors.

The statement said: “Political appointees and other public officers still keeping government vehicles are to return them forthwith to the Transport Officer, Office of the Governor. All auctioning of assets are hereby suspended and will be revisited in due course.”

The governor frowned at the highhandedness and harshness of tax and revenue agents and dissolved their committees immediately.

Otu said further allocations of lands and other related matters should be suspended until further notice.