Okowa’s Government Of Waste: How He Squandered Over N800 Million On Aides Just On One Month Salaries/Allowances
- Soon to approve a jamboree trip To USA for the State House of Assembly Members
Upon assumption of office as Delta State Governor Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa major issue on his lips was that the state government is broke, that there is no money for the State as to cater for the needs of the State. This medium learnt that the governor had at different times, cried over the non availability of money in the state even as he calls on the state as whole to tighten their austerity belt.
However, it is obvious that this cry may not after all be a real cry as the culture of profligacy, wasteful, licentiousness, and extravagancy may have taken the other of the day under his government.
Universalreporters247.com gathered that as at 6th of October, the State civil servants were yet to receive their salaries, as against the practice of the two previous governments of Ibori and Uduaghan who make sure that workers in the State are paid latest on 25th and 28th of every month respectively. Information available to this medium indicates that the state civil servants started receiving their salaries, between yesterday and today.
Meanwhile, a government house told this medium that, as at that 6th of October, the government has splashed over N800 million on his over 300 aides which comprises Special Advisers, Special Assistants, and Personal Assistants, Special Project Directors got their Salaries and furniture allowances.
“I can tell you, this Okowa’s government is a government of waste, the Personal Assistants were paid N2 million for their salaries and furniture allowances, the Special Assistants received N2.4 million as their Salaries and furniture allowances,” the source told this medium.
Moreover, not done with that, universalreporters247.com also learnt that the Special Advisers, and Special Projects Directors were paid N5 million each for their August salaries and furniture allowances.
“This is just for aides, we have not talk of what the commissioners will gulp, as at that 6th October when their payments were made, we saw many of the in the mood of jubilation and ecstasy over the bank alerts they received, showing it to their friends and relatives what they were paid. I can tell you that the salaries of workers in the State if add up are not up to what these aides got as salaries.
“As I am talking to you, their housing and car allowances are yet to be paid and it will gulp another N800 million when paid, and to make matter worse, all these bogus payments they are receiving are just for doing no work but just roaming around Government House and holding electronic tablets and IPADS to defend government without available facts,” the source said.
In a similar manner, the government is planning to sponsor the State House of Assembly led by Hon. Igbuya Monday to the United States of America for a Six week jamboree and enjoyment, even though it has been christened legislative training at the Goldman School of Public Policy, California, USA by November 2015, a legislative source told this medium that these training has no impact whatsoever on the state.
Speaking further the source told this medium that, if this is the way Okowa plans to rule Delta, then it is obvious he nowhere near his cutting of cost and spending of the State.
According to source he said; “ I can tell you these are waste which we Deltans does not require or need, with this manner of wasteful spending, how will the civil servants who were employed by the past administration and suspended by Okowa’s administration because of non availability of funds feel.”
“What about numerous roads in the state which are not motorable, do you know what these monies being wasted will do to these roads when injected it on them, or do I say of a government who sacked over 200 academic and non academic staff from Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic due to funds, infact these the kind of thing every Deltan will stand against.”
Meanwhile, when this medium contacted the Commissioner of Information, Patrick Ukah on the issue of monies paid to the Aides of the Governor, he denied the story saying, no such amount was paid to the aides, he told this medium that some of the aides are still processing their details with the government and have not received anything. He said even the Commissioners which this medium mentioned that has been paid has also not been paid as he himself is also a Commissioner and he has not received any money.
On the issue of workers’ Salaries, he said the State Civil Servants has been paid as at 6th October, he called two of his staff who spoke with this medium and said that they have received their salaries.
