Permanent Secretaries who failed to uphold civil service standards during emergency rule will be brought to book – Fubara

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has warned permanent secretaries who failed to uphold civil service standards during the period of emergency rule that they will be held accountable for their actions.

The governor issued the warning during the swearing-in of Austin Ezekiel-Hart as a permanent secretary at the Executive Chambers of Government House in Port Harcourt.

Governor Fubara stated that Ezekiel-Hart’s promotion was based purely on merit and a record of professionalism in the state civil service.

He emphasised that he had never directed any permanent secretary to bypass due process and urged the new appointee to uphold the values and principles that earned him the position.

Fubara also challenged Ezekiel-Hart to speak out — with evidence — if anyone ever pressures him to breach civil service regulations, assuring that his administration would be judged by its actions rather than words.

The ceremony was attended by other permanent secretaries, the State Head of Service, and eight commissioners who retained their positions after the recent dissolution of the State Executive Council, following a Supreme Court ruling that affected several appointees.