The Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has revealed that some commissioners who recently resigned from his cabinet left no records in their ministries.
Fubara while swearing in eight new commissioners who were confirmed members of the state House of Assembly loyal on Tuesday, said after the former commissioners left, government officials started looking for some records that they could not find in their ministries.
Nine commissioners loyal to Fubara’s successor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, resigned recently following the lingering faceoff between the incumbent governor and his estranged political godfather.
The new commissioners were sworn in late Tuesday at the Executive Council Chambers of the Government House in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
Fubara urged the eight new commissioners to cultivate the culture of keeping accurate records of their dealings in their various ministries.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Nelson Chukwudi, and made available to journalists on Wednesday.
Fubara maintained that such culture was essential for the effective functioning of any organised system, particularly the civil service because it provides useful history of events, decisions, and actions, including indices of productivity.
The eight new commissioners include Charles Bekee, Collins Onunwo, Solomon Eke, Dr. Peter Medee, Elloka Amadi, Basoene Benibo, Tambari Gbara; and Dr. Ovy Chukwuma.
The statement quoted the governor as saying, “I know what I am saying. Some of them left here as commissioners, and there are no records in their ministries. We’ve had a few meetings with people. We were looking for records which we could not find, but that is for them and their gods, I am not bothered about that.
“But, you that are coming in now, please, do this work as seasoned administrators. Work with your Permanent Secretaries. The things that you don’t know, ask questions from them, they’ll tell you, they will teach you too. It doesn’t reduce you as not being the head. But it helps you to succeed as a good administrator.”
Fubara enjoined the new commissioners to emulate his work culture and pay attention to details, adding that it should reflect the records they keep.
“Let me say this. This government is birthed by high-level discipline. I don’t know about other people who are working with me, but as a person, from the time that I started working as a civil servant, from the time I worked in the Office of the Accountant-General with my boss, we didn’t play with keeping good records.
“I can boldly stand here to say that whatever transpired, the records are there right from the time when we worked from 2007 to date. They are there for anybody to go and see.
“Likewise, what happened from the time of the immediate past administration, I carefully kept my records clean. The records are there.”
The governor stated further, “So, I am not bothered or afraid. Call me any day, call me anytime, I will stand and defend every action, every decision that we have taken.”
