Fubara assigns portfolios to new commissioners

…keeps mum on rejected nominees

Siminalayi Fubara, Rivers State governor, has assigned portfolios to the five commissioners sworn in as members of the state Executive Council on Wednesday.

Lekue Kenneth was assigned Finance and Budget; Temple Nwofor, Works; Tonye Bellgam, Special Duties; Peters Nwagor, Education; and Amairigha Edward Hart, Urban Development and Physical Planning.

The assignment of portfolios comes against the backdrop of widespread calls for accelerated development in the state. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers State, had last week described the prevalence of refuse heaps across the Port Harcourt metropolis as a sign of failure of governance.
Fubara, while swearing in the commissioners on Wednesday at the Government House, Port Harcourt, had charged them to be prepared to give their best to the service of the state.
He said that having passed through one of the most rigorous screening exercises, the commissioners were already deemed fit and ready to serve as members of the State Executive Council.

“I believe that going through one of the most rigorous screenings, it is enough to say that for those of you who succeeded, you are fit and ready to deliver to our dear state.
“So, there is no further charge. The screening was the charge. So, I wish you the best as I don’t expect anything less than the best from you,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State governor has kept mum over the fate of the four commissioner-nominees dropped by the state House of Assembly.

The Assembly on Monday rejected Fubara’s nomination of Datonye Alasia, Charity Deemua, Tamuno Williams and Otonye TKD Amachree, while confirming Bellgam, Nwofor, Kenneth, Nwagor and Edward Hart.

Controversy has since trailed the entire screening process, with some citizens urging Fubara to either represent the names of the dropped nominees or “appoint them without the Assembly’s clearance.”

The new commissioners have since assumed office, with Temple Nwofor, commissioner for Works, seen inspecting the level of work at Agba Ndele road and bridge in Emohua Local Government Area.