There was a moment of intense exchange between Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, and News Central TV journalist, Chinwe Stephanie Ugele, during the August edition of “Governor Alex Otti Speaks to Abians,” after the journalist raised concerns over an alleged breach of civil service procedures involving a worker in the State’s Office of Due Process.
Ugele, while addressing the Governor, said the issue deserved attention given Otti’s stated commitment to the rule of law and due process.
According to the journalist, a driver attached to the Office of Due Process was accused of truancy about two months ago and allegedly had his name removed from the payroll on the instruction of his superior.
She argued that even where an employee is accused of misconduct, established civil service procedures should be followed in investigating and sanctioning the individual.
Ugele stressed that she was not questioning whether the affected worker had committed an offence but was concerned about whether due process was followed before the alleged withholding of his salary.
“I’m not saying that the man is innocent. I’m only saying, is it not right that due process is followed in sanctioning him?” she asked.
Responding, Governor Otti initially expressed doubt that an individual government appointee could unilaterally remove a civil servant from the state payroll.
The Governor explained that the payroll system involves established administrative processes, including the Office of the Head of Service and the Accountant-General, making it difficult for a single official to take such action independently.
“Even me, as the Governor, cannot remove somebody’s name from the payroll. It is impossible,” Otti said.
He consequently challenged the journalist to thoroughly investigate such allegations before presenting them publicly, describing the initial account as difficult to reconcile with the state’s payroll procedures.
However, Ugele stood by her information and provided further details.
She alleged that witnesses had confirmed that the official concerned contacted the Accountant-General by telephone and was allegedly given approval to strike out the worker’s name using a green pen. According to her, the telephone conversation was reportedly on speakerphone and heard by others.
Following the additional information, Governor Otti directed the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) to engage with the journalist, obtain the relevant details and investigate the allegation.
“I will ask the Secretary to the State Government to investigate it, even though I don’t believe that it is possible… But anyway, she has raised it,” Otti said.
He instructed the SSG to establish what actually happened and report back.
Despite his initial doubts about the allegation, Governor Otti emphasised that no public officer, including himself as Governor, should bypass established procedures in dealing with a civil servant.
“Even as the Governor, I cannot instruct that somebody’s name be removed from the payroll. Even if I give that instruction, you must still follow due process,” he stated.
The exchange became one of the notable moments of the August edition of Governor Alex Otti Speaks to Abians, with the Governor ultimately ordering an investigation into the journalist’s allegation while reaffirming his administration’s commitment to established civil service procedures.
