Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has decried the misuse of public utilities by the public and government officials, saying such has become a drain of public resources.
He has therefore ordered the immediate suspension of four government officials and the setting up of a panel to look into their activities and the way they manage government utilities in their care.
In a statement Sunday by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, in Ado-Ekiti, the governor gave the directive while paying an inspection visit to the state-owned Broiler Processing Facility in Erifun, Ado-Ekiti and the livestock pens.
The governor expressed disgust that barely three years after the inauguration of the Broiler Processing Facility, the cooling system and the power generator had been vandalised by some unknown persons.
Fayose also condemned the poor attitude of the officers in charge of the place and ordered their suspension. In the same manner, the governor was angry that the livestock pens were given out to private individuals to use without them paying appropriate money to the coffers of the government.
“This is a poor and bad attitude we must stop. Public facilities are provided through the use of pubic funds and must therefore be used judiciously. Imagine a place built and inaugurated about three years ago being in this sorry state now. It means those in charge are not competent and not doing their work.
“Those using the livestock pens without paying appropriately to the purse of the government must do that within 24 hours or they will be ejected from this place. If they want to use it fine. But they must pay the appropriate fees. We must change our attitude regarding the use of state facilities and resources,” he said.
The governor directed that a panel be constituted to probe the activities of the department of government in charge of the facilities.