Benue lawmakers ask Suswam to sack commissioner

BENUE State House of Assembly yesterday directed Governor Gabriel Suswam to sack the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Conrad Wergba, within seven days.The House gave the order following the alleged refusal of the commissioner to resign after the expiration of an ultimatum given to him to do so.Wergba had allegedly made an uncomplimentary remark against the Assembly in his attempt to defend government's stance on the allegation of delay in payment of workers' salaries raised by the House, and had described the members as arm-twisting the Executive for 'pecuniary motives.'The House invited the commissioner to appear before it and during this meeting, he admitted guilt and apologised to members but quickly insisted that he hadevidence against the lawmakers. As a result, the House went ahead to ask him to resign.Raising a point of Order 9 Rule 16 (f), the member representing Katsina-Ala East Constituency, Jato Iana, reminded the House that Wergba had floutedtheir directive by failing to resign after the expiration of the seven days' ultimatum give him by the House.Jato, who urged his colleagues to prevail on the governor to without delay, to sack thecommissioner as earlier resolved by the House, stressed that it was proper for them to do so as the commissioner's appointment was confirmed by the same House.In their separate contributions, the Majority Leader, Paul Biam, Nick Eworo (Oju), Audu Sule (Agatu), the Minority Leader, Terkimbi Ikyange (Ushongo) and Kenneth Iyo (Gwer-West), all decried the lack of sober attitude of the commissioner and called for his outright sack.Baba Odeh (Otukpo/Akpa), therefore, moved that Wergba be relieved of his appointment as commissioner by the governor within seven days and was seconded by Joseph Onah.Ruling on the motion, the Deputy Speaker, Dr. Stephen Onmeje, who presided over the sitting, put the motion to voice vote and members unanimously supported the sack of the commissioner within seven days.
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