TheCable

Hope Uzodinma, governor of Imo, has appointed himself as the commissioner for land, survey and physical planning in the state.

Speaking with TheCable on Tuesday, Oguike Nwachukwu, chief press secretary to the governor, said the self-appointment by Uzodinma was to rid the ministry of “criminal-minded fellows”.

Nwachukwu said the “criminal-minded fellows have portrayed the government in a bad light”.

He said the appointment was to enable proper monitoring and management of the ministry by the governor.

“The office of the governor will play supervisory role over the land ministry for now for the purpose of ridding the place of certain developments by some criminal-minded fellows which have portrayed the government in a bad light,” he said.

“I am certain most Imo people would love the governor to hold that position for as long as he remains in office because they trust his ability to protect their common patrimony.”

The governor had earlier appointed Enyinnaya Onuegbu as commissioner for lands but was later replaced by Noble Atulegwu, former commissioner for skills and entrepreneurial affairs.

In November 2023, the governor suspended Atulegwu as commissioner in his cabinet.