By Dipo Olowookere
The Head of Administration at Egor local government area of Edo State, Mrs Rachael Iriefo, has been suspended alongside other senior council officials by the state Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki.
Mrs Iriefo was told to stay away from work for now because she was not in her office when the Governor paid a surprise visit to the council at about N8:20am on Wednesday.
When Mr Obaseki visited the local government yesterday, only 36 officials were on ground out of the 599 members of staff.
A visibly angry Governor, who described Egor council as the most indebted local government in the last administration, vowed to punish senior officials for late coming and abandoning their work.
He said further that snap checks would be conducted every day by 8am and 4pm, the official working hours.
“You see, they do not come to work, but at the end of the month, their bill is almost N50 million for salaries, outside of teachers. No senior person is here, no Head of Service; so how can they manage the Local Government?” Mr Obaseki asked.
The Governor also lamented that the council got N47 million, yet their union leaders would protest that the government had abandoned its obligations.
Governor Obaseki directed the council three months to become viable or risk being punished for this.
“They have to do everything they need to do to reduce cost and increase revenue. Walking round your premises, I am shocked that this is what your offices look like. It is so filthy and I wonder how you keep your LGA clean if you cannot keep your own premises clean.
“All your senior officers are not at work, so if your leadership is as irresponsible as displayed now, how are we going to get the leadership to run this Local Government?” Mr Obaseki said.
Modupe Gbadeyanka 
Adedapo Adesanya