If the first week of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration
in Delta State is anything to go by then the people of the State should
brace themselves up for some fast paced action and decisive leadership.
In his Inaugural Speech, which outlined the administration’s policy direction, Dr Okowa had promised that his administration intended to “hit the ground running” from the first day of its inception. He kept true to his word.
In the first week, the governor frontally addressed the controversies arising from the recent recruitment exercise into the state civil service which was suspended.
In taking the decision, the Head of Service, Mr. Patrick Origho, noted that “the process was fraught with sharp practices ranging from abuse of office to sales of job slots and therefore cannot by any stretch of imagination be adjudged credible.”
It was indeed no surprise as the recruitment exercise had generated a lot of controversy in the state. Many had questioned the wisdom in recruiting given the inability of the state government to meet its salary obligations to workers and the local government councils. In addition, there were widespread allegations of racketeering. People were reportedly paying as much as N800, 000 to get the job slots, and Vanguard learnt that security reports indicated that 60% of the job offers went to non-indigenes residing in neighbouring states.
Remarkably, the immediate past governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan had first raised issues about the process leading to the suspension of the chairman and members of the Civil Service Commission.
But by far the biggest news of Dr. Okowa’s first week in office was
the presentation of two bills and the approval of same by the State
House of Assembly. It clearly showed a man who has done his homework and
has a clear vision of what he plans to do in office.
The two are the Technical and Vocational Education Board Bill, 2015 and the Delta State Capital Territory Agency Development Bill, 2015
The Bill on Technical and Vocational Education is geared towards fulfilling the governor’s campaign promise to “empower our people with the requisite knowledge and entrepreneurial skills for business, trade, and commerce.”
The Delta State Capital Territory Agency Development Bill is one that has generated a lot of interest and analysis because of its novelty.
Among other things, the proposed Agency is to “formulate policies and guidelines for the development of the State Capital Territory; conceive, plan, and implement, in accordance with the set rules and regulations, projects and programmes for the sustainable development of the State Capital Territory; and prepare Master plans and schemes designed to promote the physical development of the State Capital Territory, as well as tackle ecological and environmental problems.”
While many agree that the bill will ensure that Asaba is developed into a proper state capital, others expressed anxiety that the Okowa administration might abandon Warri and other urban centres as a result. That insinuation prompted the Government to issue a rebuttal dismissing such fears. A statement from the government insisted that “the Bill is meant to address the peculiar infrastructural and environmental challenges of the State Capital Territory without prejudice to the functions of the Government House Annex in Warri, or the status of Warri as the commercial nerve centre of Delta State.
Policy initiative
“His Excellency, Dr. Okowa wishes to state that this policy initiative is neither strange nor new; it is consistent with attempts by Governments all over the world to create strategic intervention agencies and/or bodies to tackle urgent economic/developmental requirements. In Nigeria, for instance, the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) was established by Law to undertake the infrastructural development of the Federal Capital City while the supervising ministry, the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory, is concerned with the administration and management of the territory.
“The Governor reassures all Deltans that the Government House Annex in Warri will continue to function as it had always been under previous administrations. The mandate the Governor received is a pan-Delta one, and he remains irrevocably committed to the development of every part of the State by running an all-inclusive government that will foster prosperity and promote unity among the various ethnic nationalities. Governor Okowa wishes to remind all Deltans that the elections are over. It is time for every well-meaning citizen to join hands with this administration to deliver on its S.M.A.R.T agenda anchored on the fundamental principles of fairness, equity, and justice.”
The first week of the Okowa administration ended with a meeting with ministry officials from the rank of Director and above on Friday. It was no-holds barred meeting where the governor laid bare the facts on the economy of the State. The officers were for the first time confronted with the parlous state of the economy.
An official at the closed-door meeting told Vanguard that “for the first time some of us have come to know the gravity of the situation in Delta State. I am a director in the Civil Service but I never knew our state was that indebted and that we are spending N5.2b monthly to service our debts. It is a very serious matter and I honestly pity the governor.”
Ghost workers
Multiple sources told Vanguard that Governor Okowa solicited the cooperation of the senior ministry officials in fishing out ghost workers through the on-going biometric exercise. Noting that it is only Delta and Lagos States that have a monthly wage bill above N5b, the governor said “unless we have the support and cooperation of the directors and permanent secretaries, the biometric exercise will not succeed.”
“We are in a major debt overhang, a very difficult financial state. We should appreciate that, and the onus is on all of us to find a way out. We will need to find a way to impact on the lives of Deltans. We desire a Civil Service that is trusted by Deltans and the Government of Delta State.”
In his Inaugural Speech, which outlined the administration’s policy direction, Dr Okowa had promised that his administration intended to “hit the ground running” from the first day of its inception. He kept true to his word.
In the first week, the governor frontally addressed the controversies arising from the recent recruitment exercise into the state civil service which was suspended.
In taking the decision, the Head of Service, Mr. Patrick Origho, noted that “the process was fraught with sharp practices ranging from abuse of office to sales of job slots and therefore cannot by any stretch of imagination be adjudged credible.”
It was indeed no surprise as the recruitment exercise had generated a lot of controversy in the state. Many had questioned the wisdom in recruiting given the inability of the state government to meet its salary obligations to workers and the local government councils. In addition, there were widespread allegations of racketeering. People were reportedly paying as much as N800, 000 to get the job slots, and Vanguard learnt that security reports indicated that 60% of the job offers went to non-indigenes residing in neighbouring states.
Remarkably, the immediate past governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan had first raised issues about the process leading to the suspension of the chairman and members of the Civil Service Commission.
Okowa
The two are the Technical and Vocational Education Board Bill, 2015 and the Delta State Capital Territory Agency Development Bill, 2015
The Bill on Technical and Vocational Education is geared towards fulfilling the governor’s campaign promise to “empower our people with the requisite knowledge and entrepreneurial skills for business, trade, and commerce.”
The Delta State Capital Territory Agency Development Bill is one that has generated a lot of interest and analysis because of its novelty.
Among other things, the proposed Agency is to “formulate policies and guidelines for the development of the State Capital Territory; conceive, plan, and implement, in accordance with the set rules and regulations, projects and programmes for the sustainable development of the State Capital Territory; and prepare Master plans and schemes designed to promote the physical development of the State Capital Territory, as well as tackle ecological and environmental problems.”
While many agree that the bill will ensure that Asaba is developed into a proper state capital, others expressed anxiety that the Okowa administration might abandon Warri and other urban centres as a result. That insinuation prompted the Government to issue a rebuttal dismissing such fears. A statement from the government insisted that “the Bill is meant to address the peculiar infrastructural and environmental challenges of the State Capital Territory without prejudice to the functions of the Government House Annex in Warri, or the status of Warri as the commercial nerve centre of Delta State.
Policy initiative
“His Excellency, Dr. Okowa wishes to state that this policy initiative is neither strange nor new; it is consistent with attempts by Governments all over the world to create strategic intervention agencies and/or bodies to tackle urgent economic/developmental requirements. In Nigeria, for instance, the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) was established by Law to undertake the infrastructural development of the Federal Capital City while the supervising ministry, the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory, is concerned with the administration and management of the territory.
“The Governor reassures all Deltans that the Government House Annex in Warri will continue to function as it had always been under previous administrations. The mandate the Governor received is a pan-Delta one, and he remains irrevocably committed to the development of every part of the State by running an all-inclusive government that will foster prosperity and promote unity among the various ethnic nationalities. Governor Okowa wishes to remind all Deltans that the elections are over. It is time for every well-meaning citizen to join hands with this administration to deliver on its S.M.A.R.T agenda anchored on the fundamental principles of fairness, equity, and justice.”
The first week of the Okowa administration ended with a meeting with ministry officials from the rank of Director and above on Friday. It was no-holds barred meeting where the governor laid bare the facts on the economy of the State. The officers were for the first time confronted with the parlous state of the economy.
An official at the closed-door meeting told Vanguard that “for the first time some of us have come to know the gravity of the situation in Delta State. I am a director in the Civil Service but I never knew our state was that indebted and that we are spending N5.2b monthly to service our debts. It is a very serious matter and I honestly pity the governor.”
Ghost workers
Multiple sources told Vanguard that Governor Okowa solicited the cooperation of the senior ministry officials in fishing out ghost workers through the on-going biometric exercise. Noting that it is only Delta and Lagos States that have a monthly wage bill above N5b, the governor said “unless we have the support and cooperation of the directors and permanent secretaries, the biometric exercise will not succeed.”
“We are in a major debt overhang, a very difficult financial state. We should appreciate that, and the onus is on all of us to find a way out. We will need to find a way to impact on the lives of Deltans. We desire a Civil Service that is trusted by Deltans and the Government of Delta State.”
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