The suspension of Delta State Commissioner for Agriculture alongside the Permanent Secretary and others directed to proceed on compulsory leave over financial impropriety was placed on the media before it got to the civil service leadership.
The state Head of service (HoS), Mr Reginald Bayoko, who made the observation during a courtesy visit by the executives and members of the Asaba Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Asaba, said that the state government had maintained the culture of disciplining erring state workers internally without recourse to the press.
It would be recalled that the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori on Monday, directed the suspension of the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Perez Omoun, while the Permanent Secretary, Mr Ben Agamah, Assistant Director, Agricultural Engineering, Engr. Oki Preowei Yintareke, and Chief Accountant Mr. Gabriel Idiatacheko, are ordered to proceed on compulsory leave for alleged misappropriation of funds allotted for agricultural programme in the state.
Bayoko said the leadership had dealt with such instances on several occasions, adding that those involved faced disciplinary action.
While backing the decision of the governor, the HoS said that the civil service has become accustomed to handling such issues behind closed doors without prejudice or favour.
Bayoko said that the leadership of the State Civil Service would continue to mete out disciplinary actions on civil servants who are involved in sharp practices to ensure sanity.
He explained that what happened to workers at the ministry of agriculture was not the first to be handled by the state government, adding that the civil service leadership would not condone any form of indiscipline from the state workforce.
On petrol subsidy removal, Bayoko said that the state government would also continue to seek ways of cushioning the effects on civil servants in the state.
According to him, the state government under the leadership of Governor Oborevwori has been in the lead in addressing issues of workers welfare by ensuring prompt payment of salaries and outstanding arrears and prompt promotion of workers.
While congratulating the newly elected chapel executives, he charged journalists to be articulate in balancing their reports before going to press.
He also appealed to journalists to trade on the part of developmental journalism even when reporting other issues, adding that journalists remain a dependable partner in harnessing the M.O.R.E. Agenda of the Oborevwori’s administration.
He charged journalists to uphold the core values of truth and fairness in the course of reporting.
Earlier, the Chairman, Asaba Correspondents’ Chapel, Comrade Ifeanyi Olannye, lauded the Head of Service for his partnership with the state workforce that had ensured a seamless transition from the immediate past government of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to that of the incumbent, Governor Oborevwori.
He also commended the leadership of the civil service for ensuring peace in the Labour union of the state, adding that the sustained peace with workers’ union had ensured stability in the state civil service.
He further lauded the state government for prompt intervention to ameliorate the effects of subsidy on the workers through diverse means including approval of flexible working days for workers at all levels.
