By Onome Oghenetega
The over 3,000 civil servants who were suspended by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa from the Delta State Civil Commission in June 2015 have given a one month ultimatum to the state government to reabsorb them into the state work force.
The aggrieved civil servants were employed towards the end of the administration of the former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan in 2014, but were suspended by the Okowa-led government over alleged irregularities in the recruitment process.
They threatened that at the expiration of the one month ultimatum, they would have no option than to shut down socio-economic activities
WARRI TODAY understands that Governor Okowa had promised to re-engage them into the service after the 2019 general elections.
It was learnt that the affected workers under the Suspended Delta State Civil Servants vowed to occupy the streets of Asaba, the state capital, with their families if nothing is done by the government t the end of the ultimatum.
Spokesman of the group, Obus Regha, while addressing journalists in Asaba on Wednesday at the end of an emergency meeting of the group, lamented that they have waited enough to be re-engage following the promise the state governor made to them prior to the last general elections which Okowa won.
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Regha stated that many of them who resigned place of work to contribute to the state government by picking up the civil service were now living in a deteriorating health condition and with some unable to meet the financial obligations of the various families.
They expressed shock that the state government had advertised for employment in the agriculture sector when their case was yet to be addressed.
According to their spokesman, “We all attended the screening in April but till date nothing has been done. Yet, there has been advertisement for employment in the agricultural sector.
“With rumour going round that government plan to recall only 500 persons, we condemn such action and demand that all truly employed Deltans be recalled as we all work for His Excellency’s re-election,” he added.
Meanwhile, the state government has reacted to the threat of the suspended workers, saying that it was still reviewing the process.
The State Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, who spoke on behalf of the government, said that report of the review committee has not been jettisoned.
Aniagwu said the governor is responsive and very much aware of the plight of the unemployed, adding that measures had been put in place to ensure that Deltans were gainfully engaged whether in private or public sectors.
