“WHY I REPLACED WORKERS SCREENING COMMITTEE’S CHAIRMAN”=Governor Yahaya Bello

The Kogi State Government on Saturday announced the removal of retired Brig.-Gen Paul Okuntimo as the Chairman, Workers’ Screening and Verification Committee.

Alhaji Abdulkarim Abdulmalik, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja.

Abdulmalik said that Gov. Yahaya Bello also approved immediate appointment of Mr. Jerry Agbaji, the acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture and Tourism as Okuntimo’s replacement.

The adviser said that Okuntimo was removed for allegedly sidelining other members of the committee.

He said that Agbaji, the new chairman, was elected by other members of the committee and the governor had so approved.

The committee upon the completion of the assignment will submit its report to the governor who will in turn set up a review committee and a white paper will be issued,’’ he said.

The adviser reiterated that the screening and verification exercise was not to witch-hunt anybody.

According to him, it was an effort to plug loopholes and stop outright embezzlement of funds meant for infrastructural development of the state.

Abdulmalik, however, said that ghost workers, workers with forged certificates and workers illegally employed into public service would have to go.