The Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu, has warned Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to protect government properties from looting by outgoing political appointees.
Shaibu gave the warning in a statement he personally signed, titled: ‘Warning to Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies’, issued on Friday and made available to METROWATCH by his Special Assistant (New Media), Ogochukwu Isioma.
This comes as the transition of power looms in the state. The outgoing Godwin Obaseki-led administration, sworn-in November 12, 2020 will formally come to a close midnight 11th November, 2024 transiting power to the incoming government November 12.
As the administration prepares for transition and handover, the Deputy Governor warned that Permanent Secretaries and heads of MDAs would be held accountable by the incoming administration for any assets missing under their watch.
Shaibu warned that removing government properties is a crime and urged all political appointees to desist from such actions, noting that Permanent Secretaries and Directors of MDAs are responsible for safeguarding government properties, and failure to do so will lead to consequences.
Read the statement below;
WARNING TO PERMANENT SECRETARIES, HEADS OF MINISTRIES, DEPARTMENTS, AND AGENCIES
As our administration ends in a few weeks, I have issued a stern warning to Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to guard against the looting of government properties by political appointees, as they would be held accountable by the incoming administration for any assets missing under their watch.
The Permanent Secretaries and Directors must know that it is their responsibility to protect the properties because these political aides (Secretary to the State Government, Chief of Staff, Commissioners, Special Advisers/Assistants, and Senior Special Advisers/Assistants) are government appointees who are also leaving on November 11.
So, the failure of Permanent Secretaries and heads of these MDAs to act means they will be held responsible for giving an account of their inventories. Removing fixed items and government properties is a crime and unacceptable.
Permanent Secretaries and heads of MDAs should, therefore, guard against such criminality or face consequences. All political appointees must equally desist from such actions, which may land them in trouble.
Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu
Deputy Governor, Edo State
4th October, 2024
