Skip to main content

LG Service Commission Crisis: Uduaghan Finally Fires Chairwoman After She Loots N200M

September 11, 2014

There were wide jubilations on Thursday at the local government service commission, the Ministry of local government affairs, and local government secretariats across the state as well as other ministries in the state following the firing of the chairman and dissolution of the Local Government Service Commission (LGSC).

After several months of battle over Patience Nkem Okwuofu’s refusal to leave the Delta State Local Government Service Commission (LGSC) following the expiration of her tenure as the commission’s chairman since March, this year, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has finally fired the embattled chairman and affiliated members of the commission.

Three days ago, SaharaReporters reported how crisis has already engulfed the commission over the refusal of Okwuofu, to leave office and her continuing to impose herself on the Commission while looting the commission treasury.

Government House sources who confided in SaharaReporters stated that Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who has historically held a soft spot for Okwuofu, was very furious with the embattled former chairman of the commission when his attention was drawn to the story. The governor immediately directed the Secretary to the State Government, Ovuozourie Macaulay, to announce the immediate dissolution of the Local Government Service Commission (LGSC) and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

Image

The statement, signed by Macaulay and made available to the press on Wednesday, disclosed that the dissolution was approved by the Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan.

“Accordingly, the Chairman and members of the above-named Board and Commission are by this announcement, directed to hand over all government property including vehicles, to the most senior officer in the affected establishments.”

“His Excellency, the Governor, while using this medium to thank all concerned jointly and individually, for their service to the state and achievements recorded by their establishment during their tenure, also, wishes them the best of luck in their future endeavours,” the statement said.

There were wide jubilations on Thursday at the local government service commission, the Ministry of local government affairs, and local government secretariats across the state as well as other ministries in the state following the firing of the chairman and dissolution of the Local Government Service Commission (LGSC).

Meanwhile, a recent financial fraud allegedly committed by Okwuofu totaling about N200 million is reported to have been just uncovered at the commission.

According to a senior staff member of the commission who confided in SaharaReporters a recent fraud of about N200 million was committed by the sacked chairman, who claimed to have used the money to organize a one week seminar for some directors of the commission.

“The money was fraudulently removed from the treasury with the connivance of some staff of the account department, which she said was used to organize a one week seminar for some directors of the commission.”

“Before her sack and dissolution of the commission [Okwuofu] was running helter-skelter to raise a voucher for the money. This they could not do because of the fraudulent way and manner the money was pulled out,” the source added.

“If Governor Uduaghan can set up a panel to investigate it he will surely discover it and other frauds that Okwuofu has committed in that commission, though we know Governor Uduaghan will not set up any panel because of his close relationship with this woman.

Okwuofu rebuffed all calls and text messages put to her mobile line as at the time of filing in this report.