By Eseoghene Emuke
The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has promised to pay civil servants in the state 13th month salary if elected as governor in the March 18 gubernatorial election.
Omo-Agege, who is the Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, also assured that his administration will train and retrain workers for optimal performance in the state civil service.
He gave the promise on Monday when he met for the second time with mammoth crowd of the state civil servants in Asaba, the state capital.
Omo-Agege said the challenges facing the state affected everybody irrespective of ethnic or political affiliation, saying he will be fair, just and equitable in the management of the state resources, if elected.
The Delta Central lawmaker stated that under him as governor, no section or part of the state would be neglected or marginalized on account of ethnicity, senatorial district or religious affiliation.
He also dismissed as untrue that his administration might undo the policies and programmes of the outgoing administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Omo-Agege said unlike the candidate of the PDP, Sheriff Oborevwori and Governor Okowa which recently gifted civil servants in the state N10,000 ahead of the guber poll, he would rather reward workers in the state with a 13th month salary.
“I want a civil service where you will give your best. We need the best brain in the service as we seek to transform the state.
“We will provide security so that all those companies that have left the state will return. Government does not create jobs but we will create the enabling environment for peace and security so investors can come in and create jobs for our people.
“I heard Okowa is distributing N10,000 to the civil servants because he is desperate. The money is already in your account, take it, he will be the one to account for it.
“I will not offer you N10,000 but instead, my administration will offer 13th month salary, training and re-training privileges which they have deprived you,” he said.
Omo-Agege reiterated that the recent domestication of the new retirement age for teachers by the Okowa administration would not be reverted if he is elected, explaining that he was part of the National Assembly that made the law for the adjustment of the new retirement age.
He also allayed fears that the three new universities established by the Okowa administration would be scrapped, neither would his administration revert recent employments as far such as recruitments followed due process.
“Some universities were established and they were established here in Delta and not outside the territory of the state. It is our institutions. We will not scrap those universities but they will be adequately funded.
“We are not here to witch hunt anybody, let me assure that we will not revert any employment that was duly carried out,” Omo-Agege.
