Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi on Wednesday effected a minor cabinet reshuffle during the state Executive Council (EXCO) meeting.

Sen. Emmanuel Onwe, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, told newsmen after the meeting that Chief Moses Nome was reassigned to his former Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

“The former Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Ikechukwu Nwobo, will now oversee the new ministry created by the committee headed by the state Deputy Governor – the ministry of Special Projects,” he said.

Onwe remarked that the council received and accepted the resignation of the former Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Dr Dennis Ekumankama, who is contesting for a senatorial seat in the 2019 general elections.

“A new commissioner was therefore sworn-in to replace him in the ministry and she is Mrs Ugo Nnachi,” he said.

The commissioner also announced that Chief Joseph Obasi was appointed as the Acting Commissioner for Economic Empowerment and Job Creation to replace Mr Uchenna Orji.

“The matters of Orji’s arrest were not part of EXCO’s deliberation and I have nothing to say in regards to that.

“Journalists have duties of investigating and reporting stories accordingly, but as government, we have nothing to say regarding his alleged arrest.

“It is, however, true that Chief Joseph Obasi was appointed as the acting Commissioner for Empowerment and Job Creation, and that is the much we can say regarding that,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the news of Orji’s arrest at the government’s instance went viral across the state with insinuations that he was arrested for alleged funds embezzlement.

NAN also recalls that Nome was recently re-admitted into the state EXCO after being relieved of his appointment as the commissioner for agriculture by the governor in March. (NAN)

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