Recently, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, Chief Omeni Sobotie, led executive members of the party in the state on a visit to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori at Government House, Asaba, where they reaffirmed their sustained support to the Oborevwori led APC government.
Speaking in an interview with Government House correspondents shortly after the meeting they held with the Governor, the State Chairman of the APC, Chief Sobotie said members of the party in the state said they will continue to support the state government as it drives the Renewed Hope for MORE Agenda.
Sobotie disclosed that they were in Government House to brainstorm with the governor on important issues bordering on the unity of the party and all-round development of the state. He added that the meeting was also to pledge their solidarity with the governor who, he said, is the leader of APC in the state.
“If the Governor told you as the leader of the party that everybody should queue behind him, who is going to question that; who is going to act contrary to that? We came to reaffirm our support and pledge our solidarity with the governor of the state who is the leader of APC in the state,” the state chairman of the party said.
He, therefore, urged Deltans to continue to support the policies and programmes of Oborevwori’s administration, adding that they should expect Renewed Hope of the MORE Agenda
ln another development, Governor Oborevwori has issued a firm warning to members of the State Executive Council, emphasizing that performance, not rumours will determine their continued stay in office. Speaking during the inauguration of eight newly built duplexes at the Commissioners’ Quarters in Asaba, the governor praised his commissioners for their loyalty and hard work but stressed that underperformance would not be tolerated.
“I want to once again commend our commissioners for being loyal, dedicated, and hardworking. You know there are a lot of rumours going around that the Governor wants to dissolve the Exco. These people haven’t even heard from me, this just shows that people like too much talk,” the Governor said.
He clarified that while there is no blanket dissolution plan, underperforming commissioners would be shown the door, saying “If you are not performing, we will drop you, and that will not affect other people. If you are performing, you will stay. Like now, two or three people are not performing. I told one of them today in the chapel, you are not doing well.”
The governor emphasized the need for initiative and visibility from commissioners, pointing out that “as a commissioner, we don’t see you; you should carry your memo and look for the Governor because the Governor will not come looking for you. Others are seeking me out, you have to bring energy and initiative into your ministry.”
He further affirmed his administration’s commitment to accountability by holding each commissioner directly accountable for their ministry’s progress, stressing that “any problem in any ministry, the commissioner should be held responsible. Any ministry that is doing very well shows that the commissioner is doing very well.
“We have a lot of projects to commission. I don’t think even if we start now, before the end of this year, we may not be able to commission all of them but I believe we will do our best. We want to emulate Mr. President in what he did during the commissioning. They articulated all the projects and decided to stay in one particular location to commission them.
“But today, we are here to commission eight units of four-bedroom duplexes, each with two boys’ quarters attached. We decided to build these because, when we came in, we discovered that there were only 22 buildings here at the Commissioners’ Quarters, and the number of commissioners is more than 22. So, there was no way we could accommodate all of them, which led us to this decision. This is a demonstration of our commitment to the well-being of top government functionaries.”
ln his remarks, Dean of Commissioners and Commissioner for Finance, Chief Fidelis Tilije thanked Governor Oborevwori for approving the construction of the new residential quarters and appealed for the renovation of the 22 old quarters.
On his part, the Commissioner for Housing, Hon. Godknows Angele said the project consists of eight duplexes with attached two boys quarters and lounges among other facilities and commended Governor Oborevwori for his support towards the completion of the projects.
Meanwhile, Governor Oborevwori said his administration would soon appoint Permanent Secretaries to the state civil service. He disclosed this at a thanksgiving service held at the Asaba Bishopric Headquarters of Church of God Mission International, organised in honour of Dr. (Mrs.) Mininim Ibiere Oseji over her appointment as Delta State Head of Service (HOS).
Speaking at the ceremony, the Governor said he was still praying over the appointment of Permanent Secretaries because, according to him, he doesn’t want to make any mistake. He said “We will take time to appoint Permanent Secretaries very soon by the grace of God. I am still praying because I don’t want to make any mistakes. I didn’t make a mistake in appointing the Head of Service; so, I will not also, make a mistake in appointing Permanent Secretaries.”
He frowned at the attitude of some civil servants in the state who altered their age to remain in service, adding that such unhealthy development, if not checked, would deny the younger ones the opportunity to be recruited into the civil service.
“You see what is happening in the state now; those who are due to retire have refused to give way for the young ones to come into the civil service. These old people keep reducing their ages just to remain in service. Pastors, please pray for these people,” the Governor said.
