| * Okowa |
* Delta Poly Ogwashi-Uku, College of Education, Agbor Affected
* Workers Seek Godfathers
By Nosa Eresoyen, Asaba
Fresh trouble of alleged sundry offences and its related act are currently brewing at the Delta State Civil Service following the decision reached by the State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa to weed out 1, 021 workers from government’s payroll.
With what was described as surreptitious steps by the governor to allegedly retrench workers by some persons in the state, Mr. Mike Okeme, Special Adviser to the Governor on Labour matters confirmed that the decision by the state government to delete 1, 021 workers’ names from its payroll was informed by their alleged negligence to duties including absconment without official permission.
Noting that the state government cannot continue to pay ghost workers, including the nonchalant ones, Mr. Okeme disclosed that the exercise to weed out names of workers from payroll was not in any way plot to retrench workers even on the face of over bearing bloated workforce in the state.
Investigation revealed that the state currently has over 60, 000 workers; workforce, the Special Adviser on Labour relations described as sordid and unacceptable considering the persisting recession.
Expectedly, the state owned Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic, College of Education, Agbor are reported to have been facing over bearing workforce, and had in the recent times had to delete some names of the workers from the staff lists.
But the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Charles Ehiedu Aniagwu who corroborated the move by the governor to weed ghost workers, said names of the workers deleted from payroll was followed by incontrovertible evidence of negligence and absconment from duties, adding that it was not true that the governor had reached a decision to retrench workers.
Sources said heads of departments in various ministries in the state were last week given matching order to compile names of workers who allegedly have been defaulting in their duties to the governor directly, an order currently sweeping fears of the unknown across all government offices.
Meanwhile the State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has directed that the names of 145 staff of the State Post Primary Education Board (PPEB) be deleted from the payroll.
In a statement endorsed by the Head of Service, Mr. Reginald Bayoko, a copy made available to our reporter said that affected staff include 52 who have either abandoned or absconded from their duty post, while 93 were confirmed dead, and nine others were found to be irregular in attendance to work.
The governor’s directive further indicated those who have been receiving salaries after absconding or abandoning their duty posts would be reported to the police, and be made to face the full wrath of the law, adding that for the nine staff who were irregular in attendance at work, appropriate disciplinary action would be taken against them, according to relevant extent regulations.
Further investigation revealed that some civil servants in the last secret melting allegedly held in one of the Local Government Councils (names withheld) branded the governor ‘worked and insensitive to the plight of the workers, especially in the recent deduction from their salaries under the payment for National Health contributing scheme.
A staff of one of the Ministries who spoke to our reporter on conduction of anonymity said: “Okowa sacking workers because he complained bitterly that there is no money, but he is deducting from our salaries”.
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