Okowa Lauds Civil Servants’ Contributions To Administration’s Successes

Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has lauded the civil servants for their overwhelming support toward the success of his administration since inception in 2015.
Okowa gave the commendation at an interactive session with the workers in Asaba, last Tuesday.
The governor acknowledged that the successes recorded by his administration would not have been possible without the cooperation and input of the workers.
He, therefore, appealed to them to sustain the support to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led-administration in the state by voting for the party in Saturday’s gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections.
The governor disclosed that the financial status of the state was not healthy when he assumed duties as governor in 2015.
He said, “It took the grace of God and the cooperation of workers in the state as exhibited by labour leaders as well as the dogged commitment of my administration for the challenges to be frontally mitigated.
“In the last one year, I have been off and on Delta. But one thing that makes me proud is that the government has continued to stay on course in the development of the state.
“I know that it wouldn’t have been possible without the loyalty of our civil servants and the great efforts that you put in your various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). So, for that, I truly thank you.
“Whatever we have achieved in the course of governance in these last eight years could not have been possible without the great input of our civil servants and for the guidance they have given even to those who have been appointed to various offices as Commissioners or other capacities.”
He thanked the workers for the great job done, adding, “I have been part of you for the greater part of my life even when I know that I am not a civil servant.
“But somehow, I found myself working in the public service for a very long time.
“I know the important role those of us that are civil servants play in oiling the wheels of governance in the state, and that it is impossible for any of us to achieve anything without the input of civil servants.”
Okowa said he tried as much as possible not to be distracted or join issues with people, but looked into the future to see what he could do to solve the problems he met on ground.
“I also want to thank the labour unions for the support that I received when I came into the office in 2015. It was truly a very difficult time..”
He said that payment of workers’ salaries was a top priority for him, while appealing  to them to vote for the Speaker of House of Assembly, Sheriff Oborevwori, as governor in the forthcoming election.
Okowa said that his administration tried its best in assisting local government councils to pay workers’ salaries even though the councils belonged to another tier of government.
He pointed out that 21 local government councils in the state could not have been able to pay their workers’ salaries if not for the intervention of the state government.
The governor debunked an allegation that his administration had borrowed N850 billion as claimed by an opposition governorship candidate.
He said that politicians must not ride on lies to become governor of the state.
Okowa said that the state government had only discounted N91 billion as bridging finance  from the N217 billion that the Federal Government was owing the state.
He said that the N91 billion that was discounted were tied to specific projects for the overall good of the state.