Ebonyi State Governor, Engr. David Umahi, has suspended indefinitely, his Special Adviser on Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR), Chief Jeremiah Oketa, for allegedly over-stepping the bounds of the authority and command of his (SA’s) office.

The executive order to suspend the governor’s aide was made known by the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Senator Emanuel Onwe, yesterday while briefing journalists on the outcome of this week’s state Executive Council meeting in Abakaliki, the state capital.

Onwe also disclosed that henceforth, Special Advisers and Commissioners have been barred from collecting any form of taxes or revenue for the state, adding that the Board of Internal Revenue has been mandated by the EXCO as the only legal body to carry out such functions.

“The Special Adviser on IGR, Chief J.O.J Oketa, has been suspended indefinitely for going beyond the authority and command of his office,” Onwe said, adding: “Special Advisers and Commissioners are no longer authorised to collect taxes or revenue of any kind. The only legal body now authorised by Council to collect revenue is the Ebonyi Board of Internal Revenue or any agent that the board may legitimately engage to do so.

“All payments for all kinds of revenue should be done in the way it goes directly into the account of government.”

Onwe explained that the Executive Council received presentations from companies on enumeration and collection of taxes and revenues for government without imposing hardship on Ebonyians.

Meanwhile, the EXCO has set up an Advisory Committee on Higher Education, comprising representatives of the three senatorial zones of the state.

They include, Amb. Frank Ogbuewu, Engr. Fidelis Nwankwo and Prof. Chigozie Ogbu.

The committee has been charged to look into the situation of higher institutions in the state, particularly Ebonyi State University and recommend the way forward for government.

•File photo shows Governor Umahi fielding questions from newsmen.

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