Delta State Commissioner of Finance, Sir Okenmor Fidelis has pleaded with Civil Servants in the state to assist the government in the development of the state by making sacrifices for the greater good of the inhabitants of the state.
The finance commissioner noted that the proposed salary cut of senior political appointees and civil servants was for the economic good of the State.
This was disclosed by the commissioner in an interaction with newsmen in Asaba, the state capital.
Sir Tilije explained that the decision to cut the salaries of senior civil servants and political office holders in the State was to ensure the sustainable development of the state even in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He also lamented that with the advent of the coronavirus, the revenue accruing to the state from the federation account has reduced because of the reduced vibrancy in the World General economy as well as the OPEC reduction of Nigeria’s production quota from 2.3million barrels per day to 1.3million barrels per day.
The finance commissioner, therefore, urged all stakeholders in the state to make sacrifices so that other Deltans who are not employed in the Civil and Public Services can also be catered for, particularly those who have been infected with the virus.
Tilije also said despite the big wage bill of civil servants which is one of the highest in the country, Governor Okowa had promised that nobody would be retrenched, hence the need to look for all available means to sustain the workforce and sustain the current level of development in the state.
Speaking further, Tilije called for a reasonable understanding of the State government’s good motives, especially now that the internally generated revenue of the state has also decreased.
He also assured the people that the salary cut which is projected to last for about six months will give the government the opportunity to reposition itself for greater challenges ahead and to allow for the continued development of the State.
Tilije however proved to be false, the statement in some quarters that the Delta State Government was broke, stressing that the state was not the only one facing such financial constraints as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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