Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has approved the recommendations of the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, that a total of 20 out of 28 applicants be granted a State pardon.
In a similar vein, the State Executive Council has approved that the new retirement age for the teaching profession at sixty-five (65) years of age and length of service of forty (40) years.
The State Commissioner for Information and Orientation Barrister Uchenna Orji, made the disclosure in Abakaliki the State capital while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting .
According to him, “report on the applications by certain members of the public, requesting for a State Pardon for certain convicts in the State was presented to Exco by the Chairman of the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, Chief Barr Cletus Ofoke”.
The Commissioner reiterated that considerations were on grounds that peace had been made between the families of the victims and the convicts”.
” ill health, where there was no case of premeditated intention and where there were possibilities of proper integration into the society upon manifest remorse”.
“Exco also noted the painstaking consultations made by the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy and the discretional powers of the Governor under the Council of Mercy Law (Cap. 8) Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009 and the imperative of section 212 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
In a similar development, Umahi has sworn-in four newly-appointed Commissioners into the State Executive Council.
Those sworn in included Dr. (Mrs.) Obianuju Aloh (Commissioner for Aviation and Technology), Hon. Ogbuefi Enekwachi Akpa, (Commissioner in charge of Local Government Projects (Office of the Governor), Barrister Emeka Nwode (Commissioner in charge of Legal Services, (Office of the Governor) and Nwankpuma Uchenna Franklin (Commissioner in Charge of the new State Olympic Stadium).
According to the Commissioner for Information/Orientation Barrister Uchenna Orji, the Commissioner for Aviation and Technology shall ensure smooth flight operations and staff management in the Airport.
“The other three (3) Commissioners shall work with their respective parent Ministries of Local Government, Chieftaincy Matters and Rural development, Justice and Works and Transport to achieve the goals of their offices”.
On the proposal for payment of arrears of gratuity and pension arrears, Commissioner Orji said that a proposal for the disbursement of the arrears of the outstanding pensions for the retired Civil Servants and the disbursement of 23.1 per cent of the outstanding gratuity for the State retirees amounting One billion (N1, 000,000,000.00) was presented to Exco by the Head of Service, DR. Mrs. Rita-Mary Okoro.
