SWEARING- IN OF SUPERVISORS: OKOBO CHAIRMAN CALL STAFF BUNKUMS: .....SAYS SENIOR TO JUNIOR STAFF NOT FIT TO WORK WITH HIM …As NULGE FUMES, FIXES EMERGENCY MEETING

 

By David David

Tuesday, June 15,2021 will remain a sad day for local government staff working at Okobo Local Government Secretariat as the Council chairman, Dr. Sylvester Attah, before the entire guests, political stakeholders and Staff of the local government area, described them as bunkums. CREST can authoritatively report.

The incident happened during the swearing-in of Supervisors and Special Advisers at the local government secretariat, Okopedi.

The chairman, who kept both the nominees and their guests waiting from 1 pm to 4 pm before the swearing-in, bombed into the hall with neither Bible or oath of office.

CREST correspondent who witnessed the ensuing scenario reported that the visibly angry chairman immediately picked up the mike and described the local government staff as bunkums for failing to make available those items for swearing-in.

CREST observed it was after the chairman’s badmouth on  the workers that one of the council staff rushed outside and brought Bible while the chairman quickly drafted the oath of office used for the swearing-in. A clear indication that he was not prepared for the inauguration.

 

Meanwhile, as the cleared supervisors and Special Advisers queue out for swearing-in, Dr. Attah quickly halted them and requested the second list be given to him as those called out were not the proper persons.

It was observed that when names on the second list were called out, it turned out to be the same supervisors and Special Advisers on the queue.

The Chairman,however,reluctantly conducted the swearing,without apologizing to his already visibly angry guests and Staff of the Council. 

Speaking with CREST on why he used the word bunkum, the chairman said he was only admonishing the people.

He however admitted that he has spoken with the leadership of NULGE to resolve the issue.

“I don't deal directly with the junior staff of the council.  People I deal directly with are mostly their seniors and very strategic ones and I keep complaining that before you get things done properly, supervise your subordinates so that we can have results. I love excellence. I love things being done properly. This should not be a matter that should interest the press but the staff.

“The issue is this, the oath provided by the staff somebody should have properly supervised to know the words are lettered and properly structured.

“ Those words were not written properly. I actually had to use my ideas to get those things properly correct. Even before swearing-in Bible should have been kept there. We cannot do swearing-in without a Bible. We are all Christians.

“Before that time, there was an accumulation of issues that were not done properly. When things are not done properly you can be very emotional.”

The chairman dismissed the idea that he is naturally temperamental, noting that he is somebody that would always explain things to people anytime they call upon him to seek clarifications.

“It’s not that I am temperamental. You call me now to talk to me, how am I addressing you? Naturally, if you called me to ask about what should not attract your interest, I think that should create a different impression for me. But that is not it. I am somebody that if you asked me questions I can come back to explain things.

“Take for instance, you are talking to me right now, I explain things to you, I expect you to understand. But tomorrow you call again and I explain the same thing. I still expect you understand. Next time something happens and I still call to explain and you don't still take advice or precautions about it. I don't believe you should always be treated with carrots. 

“A good way of motivation is the carrot and stick approach. There are complaints I have been making inside the house. When your child doesn't take advice inside the bedroom, such a child needs to be advised outside the house.”

On whether the word “bunkum” was used by the chairman to advise or disgrace the staff, Sylvester Attah said, “that is not a disgrace. I am not naturally disposed to disgracing people. By my training, I should know the difference between admonishing someone and disgracing someone.”

The chairman, after tagging his council staff bunkums, in his speech said, he sought public office to serve, not to Lord over those who elected him.

“My idea presupposes that the people are king.

“We shall do our possible best to execute life touching projects despite the mounting socio economic odds.”

He charged the supervisors to be ready and willing to give their best, shelve sentiments to do the right thing for the betterment of Okobo people.

But reacting to the chairman ‘s comment against the Council staff, the NULGE chairman, Okobo Chapter, Mrs. Enang Ayo disclosed that the chairman later met with NULGE executive and apologised to them.

“It was a display of human weakness. The chairman was carried away by some mistakes that occurred.

“He is our chairman, there is nothing we can do. He must do the needful by addressing entire NULGE,” she said.

One of the local government appointees who did not want his name on print, recalled that during the children's day celebration, the council chairman suddenly became emotional and resorted to describing parents who graced the occasion as “particles” moving everywhere.

However, fillers from some quarters have that reasons for the delay in the swearing-in of supervisors was because the chairman was unhappy that the Governor could approve names of supervisors without his input.

Supervisors sworn in were: Mrs Enobong Emmanuel Ekpenyong; Peter Ekong; Pastor Etim Ibok; Godwin Effiong Okon;  Isaac M. Anyin; Rev. Moses Uweh; Mrs Ini Atta Okon while Godwin Akaiso and Victoria George were special sworn in as Special Advisers.

Present at the occasion were: The Head of Service Dr.(Mrs.) Alice Akpan; immediate past chairman of the council, Rt. Hon. Ubuo Effiong Ubuo; PDP state officer, lady Mery Onungune; immediate past state officer of the party, Hon. Emmanuel George; Vice Chairman, Hon. Asuquo Koffi; Leader of the Legislative Council, Hon. Tony Uyah; former Transition Chairman of Okobo, Attah Okon Attah; Dr. (Barr.) Effiong William Osung; Barr. Emmanuel Ekpenyong; former SSA to Governor, Mr. Joseph Okon; SA to Governor on Project Monitoring, Bassey Pius Bassey; and SA to Governor on Project Monitoring, Mr. Ekpenyong Ante among others.