Asaba – Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has warned those mounting pressures on him over political and public appointments that it is his sole function to make appointments on merit.
He declared that he would not entertain any pressured from external forces in appointing people to sensitive offices during his second term in office.
Speaking on Wednesday during the celebration of 2019 May Day, themed “Another 100 Years Of Struggle For Jobs, Dignity and Social Justice in Nigeria”, Okowa assured that the issue of Permanent Secretary would be addressed.
“It is left for me to make the appointment and I would not allow anybody to take it away from me. They should allow me appoint people on what I consider as merit and length of service, and be sure we are able to get the right set of people to occupy positions.
However, he reassured the Local Government Service Commission that a Permanent Secretary would be appointed from the Commission.
Responding to the call by the NLC Chairman on the need to see into the 33 per cent upward review of pensioners, Okowa promised to look into the issue before the beginning of a second term in office.
Earlier while giving his address, Delta State NLC Chairman, Comrade Goodluck Ofobruku lauded the continued partnership of Delta State Government, in ensuring improvements of welfare of workers in his first tenure.
Likewise, his counterpart, Chairman of Trade Union Congress, TUC, Comrade Michael Nwobodo reemphasized on the trust of the Congress on the promises made by the Governor on implementing the N30,000 minimum wage upon its implementation at State level.
According to Nwobodo, “We believe and we trust you because you have never given us any cause not to. We believe that with the passage of the Minimum Wage into law, Delta State will take the lead in the implementation onnce the template is cascaded down to the states”.
Several unions present under the umbrella of the two Labour bodies include; Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Association of Nigeria Refineries Petroleum Marketers (ANRPM), Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and others.
