The Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma has directed all former appointees to immediately return all official government vehicles and properties in their custody.
The directive was contained in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the Governor, Oguwike Nwachuku on Thursday.
The governor mandated the Managing Director of Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ISOPADEC), Hon Chief Charles Orie to oversee the recovery of the vehicles and official government properties assigned to former appointees through any lawful means possible.
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The statement reads in parts: “This directive affects all former Principal Officers to the Governor, all former Commissioners, all Special Advisers, all General Managers of Agencies of Government, among others.
“Orie was further urged to ensure that no former political appointee, no matter how highly placed, refuses to surrender his or her official vehicles.
“On January 16, 2024, when Governor Uzodimma dissolved his expanded Executive Council, he had directed that the Commissioners should hand over their official vehicles to the Permanent Secretaries in their ministries while the Special Advisers should submit their official vehicles at the Office of the Chief of Staff.
“While some former political appointees complied with the directives, others are yet to do so, raising concerns they may have ulterior motives.
“Poised to ensure that government directives are respected by all and sundry, Governor Uzodimma has mandated Orie to use all means lawful to extract compliance from the former appointees.
“Those Governor Uzodimma expects Chief Orie to take custody and inventory of the vehicles assigned to them as former appointees are his former principal officers, his former Commissioners, his former Special Advisers, former General Managers of Agencies of Government, among others.
“Compliance is said to be immediate and non-negotiable.”
Recall the governor in January dissolved his cabinet which includes the Expanded Executive Council Members, Commissioners, Special Advisers, Senior Special Advisers and Sole Administrators of the 27 Local Government Area of the state