‘Don’t take bribe or fight with commissioners’ – Otti warns new Perm Secs

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti on Tuesday swore in newly appointed permanent secretaries in the state civil service, charging them to discharge their duties creditably.




The governor, while speaking at the event at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Umuahia, reminded the permanent secretaries that his administration does not tolerate corruption.




He warned that that anyone caught involving in corrupt practices would face the music.




The Abia governor, who also cautioned the permanent secretaries against fighting commissioners in charge of their ministries, said they should not see themselves as rivals to the commissioners but should rather work in harmony with them for the overall interest of the state.




Assuring that all their entitlements would be made available, Otti warned, “So you will have no no justifiable reason to engage in unacceptable practices like demanding for kickbacks in cash or kind or exploiting the powers of your office for self -enrichment. Our government has zero tolerance for corruption and anyone caught shall be made to face the music.”




He further said that he personally supervised the process that selected the new permanent secretaries with some top officials of the state government, adding that the exercise was conducted in a transparent and fair environment.




According to him, women received a fair share in the number of the new permanent secretaries.