The Rivers State House of Assembly has deferred debate, clearance and confirmation of all the Commissioner-nominees screened to the next legislative day.
Chairman of the House Committee on Information and Training, Enemi George while briefing members of the Press Corps after plenary said the process was deferred for sensitive reasons and to allow lawmakers revisit all the issues that were observed during the screening.
On the suspension of the screening of one of the nominees, Sylvanus Nwankwo, Hon. Enemi George said the House will not clear the nominee until he makes his tax clearance certificate available to the House.
“As an Assembly, we take the issue of tax clearance very seriously,we believe that as public servants, we must live by example. It is expected that those whom the Governor has sent to the House should obey the laws”,he stated.
Meanwhile, one of the commissioner nominees, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim while being screened told the lawmakers that his recent advocate titled”Our State, Our Responsibility” was a conscious effort to change the negative narrative on the state.
He said it was designed to de-orientate all who live and do business in Rivers State to understand that they are brand ambassadors of the State.
Regretting that the state has in the last two years suffered negative reportage which must be changed, he said those who live and work in Rivers State should have the understanding of the shared responsibility of defending the state.
Those screened are Mr. Soni Ejekwu, Austin Ben-Chioma,Sylvanus Nwankwo, Osima Ginah and Mrs. Inime Chinewewno Ifeyinwa Aguma.Others include Mrs. Ifeoma Nwankpa, Dr. Peter Mende, Mr. Bariere Thomas, Dr. Fred Kpakol, Mr. Paulinus Nsirim, Elder Tasie Chinedu, Rodaford Long-John and Prof. Kaniye Ebeku.
In a separate development, two bills were presented on the floor of the the House.
The two bills” Rivers State Finance Control And Management Bill 2019″ and “Rivers State Audit Bill 2019” are designed to place the state at the for of fiscal responsibilities and transparency while creating a mechanism that ensures that funds are effectively administered.
