Imoke suspends 20 exco members indefinitely

    
Cross River State Governor Liyel Imoke on Monday sent 20 members of the state executive council on indefinite suspension  for failing to participate in a four-kilometre road walk to mark world AIDS day.

This came just as some Christian women in the state protested against the celebration of the Calabar festival and Calabar Carnival on Sundays.

In a statement on Monday by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Mike Ania, the governor said the 20 cabinet members were  suspended from office for failing to participate in the four-kilometre walk to mark the World Aids Day on Sunday.

The suspended cabinet members were ordered to hand over to their Permanent Secretaries immediately while they were told that they would not be paid during the suspension.

The suspended commissioners, according to the statement, are the Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Attah Ochinke; Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Etim Takis Kaifas; Commissioner for Social Welfare, Mrs. Edak Iwuchukwu; Commissioner for Women Affairs; Commissioner for Social Welfare, Mrs Patricia Enderly; Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Sandy Onor, and Commissioner for Agriculture Mr.  James Aniyom;

Others are Special Adviser on Project Monitoring and Evaluation Mr. Eja Dons Eseghe; Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr Elemi Etowa ; Special Adviser on Tourism Wilfred Usani, Special Adviser on Religious Affairs; Eyo Okpo Ene; Special Adviser on Special Duties;  Mr. Fabian Okpa.

The rest are Special Adviser Forestry and Biodiversity, Gabe Odu-Orji; Special Adviser on Investment Dr. Gerald Adah; Special Adviser on Political and Legislative Matters, Mr. Fred Osim; Special Adviser on Legal, Mr. Mark Obi; Special Adviser ,NGO, Mrs. Margaret Johnson Ebokpo, Special Adviser on ICT, Mr. Odo Effiong; Special Adviser on Mineral Resources; Mr Effiong Bassey;  Special Adviser Strategy and Planning , Prof Idem Temple; Special Adviser on Debt Management  and Fransica  Nkoyo Effiong.

Punch