[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he recent appointment of Delta State Local Government Service Commission board headed BY Hon. Joseph Otirhue as the Chairman has brought succor to the entire Local Government staff across the state because the immediate past board messed up the entire system , the Commission was engulfed with massive corruption , nepotism, tribalism and maladministration as the order of the day. Infact the last board of the commission can never be forgotten in a hurry , A Commission that was vested with the exclusive right of appointment, promotion, disciplinary control, removal from office, due process and approval of retirement in respect of all Local Government Officers, but the reverse was the case. From our investigations, appointments and promotions of staff was never done in the right way, it was not based on seniority or merit but rather it was on monetary value (Bribe) .
In line with the above, the Grassroots Publishers had petitioned His Excellency, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa severally in the past concerning the nefarious activities of this past board and the Governor assured us that he will soon appoint men and women of integrity that will correct and sanitize the activities of the entire local government system in Delta State.
At the appointment of Hon. Joseph Otirhue by Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa as the Chairman of the new Commission Board, the entire Local government staff( both junior and senior) were so delighted because he is a man of integrity ,a former councilor, Local Government Chairman ,Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government Affairs and a grassroots man, and because they believe that due process and integrity will return to the local government system soonest .
We hereby commend the chairman and his board for taking the first bold step of organizing a 2-day Retreat for senior staff at Sapele in Delta State. A gathering which gave the senior staff the opportunity to express their opinion on the corruption and illegalities that had already engulfed the entire system . We are very convinced that this new board headed by Hon. Joseph Otirhue will redeem the battered image of the Commission by immediate reshuffling and transferring of the Directors and seniors staff of the Commission to the field because retaining or working with them will do more harm than good to this new board.
We also want to commend the board for setting up a Reconciliation Committee, which is headed by a seasoned administrator, proactive lawyer and a man of God. We are surprised that most of the Committee members are the same set of Directors/Staff in the Commission that played a major role in Corrupting the entire system , so parading them in the new Committee is like “Old wine in a new bottle”.
Deltans and Grassroots Publishers are appealing to the new board to carry out their duty with due process and to make sure that every decision taken is backed up by the laws, Acts and Federal Character etc. Infact, let the rules be your watchdog and do not allow the Civil Servants in the committee to deceive your Board, as most of them are very corrupt ,bias and was part of the failed system.
We are praying to God almighty to guide and give this board the wisdom to carry out their duty without fear or favour because the primary aim of appointing this men and women of integrity by our SMART governor is to correct the wrongs and injustice done by the past board.
We are waiting and watching .
By : Ifeoma Maduike & EMEJI NOBLE