Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has sacked the General Manager of the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA), Eze Okwulehie.

This was disclosed in a release signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Barrister Chris Ezem and issued to journalists in Umuahia, the Abia State capital on Friday.

The rationale behind Eze’s shocking removal was not disclosed in the release.

The removal of the ASEPA GM was coming barely two days after the Abia State House of Assembly had on Wednesday, at its plenary, bemoaned the indiscriminate dumping of refuse in some areas of the state.

The Abia Assembly leadership also regretted that the streets and roads in Umuahia, the state capital, and Aba have been taken over by refuse, emphasising that the former had become an eyesore, which made him have an interface with the General Manager of Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA).

This followed a presentation of a matter of urgent public importance by the member representing Umuahia North State Constituency and the House Committee Chairman on Environment, Hon Kelechi Onuzuruike.

The State House of Assembly further resolved to summon the ASEPA General Manager through its committee on Environment.

It equally directed the Assembly leadership to report back to the house on the summon on 13th of December, 2021.

However, according to the release over Okwulehie’s immediate removal, Governor Ikpeazu further directed the SSG, Chris Ezem to oversee the activities of the State Environmental agency in interim capacity.

The Abia Government’s release partly read, “the Governor of Abia State, Okezie Victor Ikpeazu has approved the immediate removal from office of Mr. Eze Okwulehie, General Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA), Umuahia.

“To this end, the Governor directs the Secretary to Abia State Government, Barr. Chris Ezem to oversee the activities of the Agency in the interim.

“This directive takes immediate effect.”