Emergency Rule: Fubara Cracks Down On Irregular Practices By Officials

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has issued a stern warning to Permanent Secretaries found guilty of breaching civil service rules and engaging in irregular practices during the six-month emergency rule in the state, declaring that such actions will not go unpunished.

The Governor sounded the warning on Friday while swearing in Austin Ezekiel-Hart as a new Permanent Secretary at the Government House in Port Harcourt.

Charging the appointee, Fubara urged him to uphold professionalism, remain true to the values of the civil service, and steer clear of illegality in the discharge of his duties. He emphasized that his administration’s guiding principles remain integrity, due process, and accountability, insisting that the civil service must continue to stand as the bedrock of good governance.

Reflecting on the challenges that accompanied the emergency rule, the Governor expressed dissatisfaction that certain Permanent Secretaries failed to safeguard due process, instead supporting actions that undermined the principles of the civil service.

He cautioned that the misconduct of such officers had been documented and would be revisited when the time was right. “Supporting things that are not the standard of civil service—your punishment will come. Just be prepared,” Fubara said.

The Governor further explained that he had never asked commissioners or civil servants to please him personally but had always demanded that they act rightly in line with service standards. “Posterity will judge all of us by our actions,” he stated.

Turning to the new appointee, Fubara commended Ezekiel-Hart for standing firm as a professional, noting that his refusal to compromise on integrity despite pressure distinguished him from others and earned him the promotion.

“You have shown consistency in upholding truth and fairness,” Fubara remarked, stressing that every civil servant must prioritize established rules and procedures above personal or political interests. He assured that his administration would never compel officers to act outside the law, reiterating that no directive from any authority should override due process.

The Governor concluded by underscoring that only professionalism and principled conduct would guarantee lasting recognition within the civil service.