Ebonyi Commissioner for Infrastructure Development Engr. Fidelis Nweze is dead.
He died in a hospital in Abuja due to injuries he sustained in an auto crash earlier in the week.
Governor David Umahi confirmed his death to reporters on Tuesday in Abakaliki, capital of the state.
The governor described the Commissioner as irreplaceable and one of the pillars of his administration.
The Governor said: “Nweze died this morning at Turkish Hospital Abuja at about 9:50 am. He was travelling to Enugu on Saturday morning with his driver and orderly.
“At Obunagu in Enugu state, they rammed into a stationary truck. He was on the seat belt and they were all conscious. He was rushed to Niger foundation Enugu.
“I got to know about it on Sunday and I insisted they move him to Abuja. I sent a doctor to the Turkish hospital.
“He was having severe pain, so they did an examination and discovered that the seat belt had ruptured his intestine.
“They did a successful operation and wanted to move him to the ward but we said no they should put him in an intensive unit for 3 days to be sure everything is okay.
“This morning they said he had a crisis and at about 9:50 am he died”.
The governor described him as one of the pillars of his administration.
“I feel so sad and empty. To me, it is like a dream. It is like my younger brother, my son or very close friend just slept and died,” he wept.
He declared Tuesday as a public holiday in the state, adding no market or any other business will open in honour of the late commissioner.
Nweze was Commissioner for Works in the first tenure of Governor Umahi between 2015 and 2019.
Nweze is reported to be the man behind the many infrastructural developments recorded in Ebonyi State in the last six years.
