By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has issued a warning to the new Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Chief of Staff, threatening to sack them if they engage in secret meetings.
Fubara issued the warning on Thursday, February 26, shortly after the SSG, Dr Dagogo Wokoma, and Chief of Staff, Sunny Ewule, were sworn in at Government House, Port Harcourt.
The governor urged the new appointees to carry out their duties with discipline, loyalty and a commitment to the success of his administration.
He warned that any involvement in unauthorised nocturnal meetings or conduct capable of embarrassing the government would attract immediate dismissal.
“Let me make it very clear: your duty is to handle administrative duties and image-making roles efficiently, liaising with anyone coming for any official assignment.
“If you involve yourself in nocturnal meetings or similar activities, I will sack you. I am very serious. What matters to me is the peace, progress, and prosperity of this state. I will not compromise on that,” he said.
The oath-taking ceremony was administered by the Chief Registrar of the State High Court, David Ihua-Maduenyi, who led the SSG and Chief of Staff in taking the Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Office.
While addressing the appointees, Fubara reminded them that their elevation to these positions is a call to service, not a platform for political grandstanding or the pursuit of personal ambition.
He stressed that their foremost responsibility is to themselves and the people of Rivers State, and that their conduct must always reflect integrity, restraint, and dedication to the public good.
Directly addressing Wokoma, whom he described as an accomplished academic and mathematician, Fubara expressed confidence in his intellectual depth and capacity to deliver on the new assignment.
To the new Chief of Staff, Fubara noted that he is expected to ensure smooth administrative coordination, manage official engagements effectively, and safeguard the image of Government House.
The governor said the role required sensitivity, emphasising that the position is personal and operates strictly under the authority of the governor.
Fubara also cautioned that any action capable of bringing the government or his office into disrepute would attract appropriate sanctions.
The governor directed Permanent Secretaries present at the ceremony who have reached retirement age to begin preparing their handover notes without delay.
He explained that the notice was not intended to intimidate anyone but to prepare them for the inevitability of exiting the service and to ensure an orderly transition.
