Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has warned prospective groups and individuals warming up to embark on congratulatory visits to perish the thought.
He said that time for frivolities was over hence he would no more welcome any person or group coming to government house Abakaliki to congratulate him or any government official.
Nwifuru sounded the warning Tuesday during swearing-in ceremony of the new Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Grace Umezurike and the new Chief of Staff to the Governor, Professor Emmanuel Echiegu.
According to him, the two weeks that had been used for congratulations were enough and time has come to face the business of governance devoid of distractractions.
The Ebonyi governor, who has already assembled his cabinet, stated that government business would attain its peak after the forthcoming inauguration of commissioners slated for Tuesday, June 20.
“It is time to face governance as time waits for no one. <span;>We will hit the ground-running and stop visitations which we have used the past two weeks to do,” he said.
“We mean business and must deliver our promises to the people as contained in the manifesto of the All Progressives Congress (APC)”.
The Ebonyi chief executive assured that his government possessed the capacity to live up to the expectations of the people, adding that he has given women pride of place in fulfilment of his campaign promises.
He said that with the appointment of a female SSG for the first time in the history of Ebonyi State “women have become the fulcrum of my admistration”.
“This is unusual but it is a good development for the state,” he said, adding that Prof. Umezurike would be given every support to discharge her duties creditably.
Nwifuru acknowledged an element of surprise in his choice of people to work with, having placed professionalism above political considerations in making his appointments.
Speaking on behalf of other appointees that took their oath of office, Prof. Umezurike, expressed gratitude to the governor for the opportunitiy has offered them to serve in his administration.
Aside the SSG and the CoS, other appointees that were sworn-in include the Principal Secretary to the Governor, Mathias Adum and the Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr. Timothy Nwachi, among other newly appointed aides of the governor.
Prof Umezurike pledged that they would not be found wanting in serving the state creditably.