Okowa has 2,203 political aides – Edevbie

Delta state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has 2,203 political aides.

Commissioner for Finance, Olorogun David Edevbie, said this in reaction to comments that political appointees were more than civil servants in the state.

Speaking at a press briefing on the 2018 budget proposal sent to the state House of Assembly by the governor, Edevbie said Delta government has 2,203 political appointees with the sum of N382 million as salary and 45,000 civil servants that gulp N4.5 billion salary monthly.

“I find it funny when some persons say political appointees are more than civil servants in the state”, he said.

“We are running an open-door policy. The state has 2,203 political appointees and 45,000 civil servants; the number of public servants are not included.”

On the debt profile of the state government, Edevbie said: “About N100 billion are owed contractors. Although no one is happy about the situation, Okowa has approved that contractors, especially those whose money are not much, should be paid.”

“We are aware that it is not enough to terminate a contract and re-award same to a more competent contractor; such contractor deserves to be prosecuted and blacklisted.

“But you know in Nigeria, people will always intervene when such happens; we must give the governor’s administration credit for insisting that the right thing should be done.

‘If you are not competent as a contractor, the contract will be given to a more competent one and you know it takes a lot for decisions for such to be taken”.