Ayade suspends commissioner, MD for lateness

Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, yesterday suspended indefinitely, the Commissioner for Water Resources, Ntufam Gabe Odu Ojie and the Managing Director of Water Board Limited, Dr. Oju Igile for reporting to work late.
The governor announced their suspension during his routine but unscheduled tour of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure that civil and public servants comply strictly with basic work ethics.
Speaking to newsmen at the premises of the ministry in Calabar, Ayade said it was an act of indiscipline for appointees not to be at their duty posts before 9.00am, maintaining that the suspension would serve as deterrent to other government employees, as well as appointees. “This is about 9 o’clock in the morning and the Commissioner for Water Resources is not at his duty post. The managing director of state Water Board is not in the office. I cannot understand why he is not in the office. I, therefore, with immediate effect, announce his suspension. We will appoint somebody to take over this office with immediate effect. Any commissioner I find in this circumstance will leave.”
After making the pronouncement, Governor Ayade also supervised a roll call of staff members, who signed the time book as of the time of his visit.
Accordingly, he directed that erring staff be disciplined in line with the civil service rules.