EMMANUEL NLEWEDUM, Port Harcourt
The Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has dissolved another Board set up by the immediate past Sole Administrator of the State, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, during the six months period of emergency rule in the state.
Governor Fubara on Friday announced the dissolution of the Board of the Rivers State Microfinance Agency and the immediate appointment of Pastor Jonathan Tobin as the Acting Managing Director of the Agency.
The Board of the Rivers State Microfinance Agency is the second Board inaugurated by Ibas, to be sacked by the Governor Fubara in an interval of one week, after dissolving the State’s Pension Board last Friday, September 26, 2025.
Fubara disclosed his decision to dissolve the Board of the State’s Microfinance Agency in a public announcement on Friday evening, signed by the State’s Head of Service, Dr. Mrs Inyingi Brown.
The Governor directed members of the sacked Board to immediately hand over all properties and assets of the Board in their possession to the Acting Managing Director of the Agency, Pastor Tobin.
The Head of Service, Mrs. Brown in the announcement noted that the governor would later reconstitute a new Board.
In another development, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, same Friday, October 3, 2025, also swore in Mr. Austin Ezekiel Hart as a Permanent Secretary in the State Civil Service.
The Governor, in a brief swearing-in ceremony at the Government House, Port Harcourt, charged the newly sworn-in Permanent Secretary to remain unwavering in professionalism, uphold the values of the civil service, and shun any act of illegality in the discharge of his responsibilities.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to due process and integrity, stressing that the civil service must remain the backbone of good governance.
Reflecting on past challenges during the period of emergency rule, the Governor lamented that some Permanent Secretaries failed in their responsibility to safeguard due process and instead engaged in actions that undermined the principles of the service.
He warned that such conduct is unacceptable and that erring officials would ultimately be held accountable.
The Governor praised Mr. Ezekiel-Hart for his professionalism and refusal to compromise his integrity despite pressures, noting that his steadfastness and principled stance earned him the new appointment.
He pointed out that the appointee’s colleagues could attest to his record of doing the right thing even in difficult circumstances.
Governor Fubara further emphasised that civil servants must remain consistent in their service, prioritising truth, fairness, and due process above personal or political interests, stressing that no directive, regardless of its source, should override established rules and procedures, assuring that his administration would never pressure officers to act outside the law.
He reiterated that his government is more focused on tangible results than on rhetoric, adding that all appointments are based strictly on merit, professionalism, and a genuine commitment to service.
He explained that Mr. Ezekiel-Hart’s elevation reflected his choice to stand as a true professional, and that his administration expects every official to act rightly so that history will judge them well.
Governor Fubara concluded by urging the new Permanent Secretary to justify his elevation with improved performance, reminding him of the greater responsibilities attached to the office, while assuring him of the government’s full support.
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