By Sophia Afolabi
A wave of anxiety has swept through government circles in Ebonyi State following a directive from Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru ordering all political appointees and top civil servants to submit their official vehicles for physical inspection.
The directive, made public via a statement issued on Thursday by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Grace Umezuruike, affects commissioners, special assistants, senior special assistants, permanent secretaries, as well as members of boards and commissions.
“His Excellency, our dear Governor, Right Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, has directed that all government officials who have been allocated one or more vehicles — whether official or utility — must physically present the vehicle(s) to the office of the SSG,” the statement reads.
A schedule released with the directive mandates:
Commissioners and principal officers to report with their vehicles on Friday, August 8, 2025
SSAs and permanent secretaries on Saturday, August 9, 2025
Special assistants, board members, and commission representatives on Monday, August 11, 2025
All presentations are to take place between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon at the premises of the SSG in Abakaliki.
Governor Nwifuru has also instructed that a list of defaulters — those who fail to present their allocated vehicles be compiled and submitted to him immediately after the inspection.
The directive has triggered palpable fear among some government officials, especially in the wake of recent public allegations regarding vehicle misuse. A political commentator and public affairs analyst Nwoba Nwoba had recently accused an unnamed commissioner of selling his official vehicle — a claim that has since gone viral.
“It’s expected that some of them might have sold the car and used the money to buy a cheaper car or start a building project in Abakaliki,” an Ebonyi resident told some journalist under condition of anonymity. “It would be disgraceful for someone to serve a full term as a commissioner and still live in a rented apartment.”
While some defend such actions as a pragmatic response to economic realities, others say the trend reflects deeper issues of accountability and corruption within the system.
The Governor’s directive is widely seen as a move to clamp down on asset diversion and restore integrity to public service.
Meanwhile, as the deadline for inspections looms, many in the corridors of power are scrambling to comply — or cover their tracks.
