Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam yesterday told civil servants in the state to resign their appointments if they were interested in playing politics rather than enhance development in the service.
This warning was to assist civil servant to clearly define their aspirations and to enable the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC), under the leadership of Prof. Philip Ahile, to strive hard to achieve free, fair and credible polls in the proposed November local government elections.
The governor has also appointed two new permanent secretaries in the state civil service. They are Mr. Sam Hemba Liam and Mr. Abunku Kutyo. Governor Suswam said they were to be posted to various ministries by the state Head of Service, Mr. Mike Iordye who, he disclosed, would carry out a swift reshuffle of permanent secretaries.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony at Government House, Makurdi, the governor said the permanent secretaries, just like other top civil servants, apart from being bureaucrats, were the hub of any government and that they were expected not to engage in partisan politics, but contribute massively to the success of any administration.
“You are very senior civil servants and you are expected to live above board and should remain supportive because it is dangerous for civil servants to be partisan while attending to state matters,” Suswam said.