BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
GOVERNOR David Umahi of Ebonyi State has confirmed the sudden death of his Commissioner for Infrastructure and Concession, Fidelis Nweze.
The Commissioner reportedly passed on Tuesday, June 22, 2021, at a Turkish hospital in Abuja, owing to injuries he sustained in an auto crash.
Nweze was one of the backbones of the Umahi administration, according to the Governor, who addressed journalists.
His death occurred barely one month after the Commissioner for Housing in the state passed on.
Following Nweze’s demise, the Governor, in a statement, signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze, has declared Wednesday, June 23, 2021, as Public Holiday in honour of departed members of the State Executive Council.
The Governor also directed that all offices and markets be shut while all flags should fly at half mast on Wednesday, across the state.
According to the statement, Umahi directed all Government officials to fast in order to seek the face of God in the affairs of the state.
He also charged the Christian Association of Nigeria to organise prayers to break the fast by 4pm at the Christian Ecumenical Centre everyday, starting from Wednesday, June 23 to Saturday, June 26, 2021.
Recall that Fidelis served as the Commissioner for Works in the first tenure of Governor Umahi, between 2015 and 2019, and until his death, he was the Commissioner for Infrastructure and Concession.
Nweze is reputed to be the man behind the many infrastructural development successes recorded in Ebonyi State in the last six years. He was a strong ally of Governor Umahi.
Umahi, who earlier confirmed his death to Journalists on Tuesday, at the New Government House in Abakaliki, said that the accident took place in Enugu, but that the Commissioner was rushed to a Turkish hospital in Abuja where he went through a surgery but passed on afterwards.
The statement read in part, “The Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr David Umahi, has sadly announced the sudden departure of the Commissioner for Infrastructure and Concession, Engineer Fidelis Nweze, in a ghastly motor accident on Tuesday, June 22, 2021.
“To this end, the Governor has declared Wednesday, June 23, 2021, as a Public Holiday in honour of the departed former members of the State Executive Council.
“Consequently, the governor has directed that all offices and markets should be closed while all flags are to fly at half mast on Wednesday, June 23rd 2021 across the State.
“The Governor also directed all government officials to proceed on fasting to seek the face of God in the affairs of the State while CAN is charged to organise prayers to break the fast by 4pm at Christian Ecumenical Centre everyday, starting from Wednesday, June 23 to Saturday, June 26, 2021.”
“All Government officials are enjoined to participate in all the activities. The Governor prays for peaceful repose of the souls of the fallen former Exco members,” it said.
