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Covid-19 Economic Crunch: Pay Cut Is Better Than Retrenchment Of Workers – Gov. Okowa’s EAC
Executive Assistant to the Governor of Delta State on Communications, Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe Esq, has said that salary adjustments as adopted by Delta State Government is the best option, considering global economic recession occasioned by Covid-19 pandemic.
The EA Communications in a statement on Friday in Asaba, asserted that retrenchment of some civil servants or political appointees negates the job and wealth creation economic remodeling strategies of this administration, adding that the State Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa is pained that the Corona Virus pandemic forced the government to adjust salaries which ordinarily would not occur in a stable economy.
Oghenesivbe posited that Delta State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, lacked moral justification to accuse the state government of partiality in salary adjustments, in the face of multifaceted and odious corruption pandemic which has bedeviled the federal government, noting that health workers remained the most vulnerable risk-takers in the fight against the spread of coronavirus in Nigeria and across the globe, which is why their salaries cannot be adjusted.
He pointed out that with the financial crimes stench hovering around the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, and other federal ministries, departments, and agencies in recent times, the party ought to hide its ugly head in shame and channel her energy towards advising the Presidency on how to tackle and clean up the corruption mess within APC national government.
“Salary cuts and/or adjustments cannot be avoided because of the glaring global economic crunch and the downward trend in crude oil prices in the international market. We are more or less a mono-economy nation which depends largely on foreign earnings from the sale of crude oil.
“The cut in federal allocations as a result of a sharp decline in oil prices affected budgets and expenditures negatively, making it absolutely inevitable for the government to adjust salaries; which is far better than retrenchment of civil servants and/or political appointees.
“More importantly, the adjustments will not last forever, it is a temporary measure to stay afloat and keep the government running until the world and national economy bounces back to normal. The adjustments or pay cuts shall be reversed anytime the nation’s economy improves.
“APC Delta Publicity Secretary has again displayed disgusting mediocrity and lack of professionalism in handling the media and communication strategies of the party in the state. The opposition party must of a necessity to send her publicist on a capacity building programme to enhance his job performance.
“Gov Okowa and this administration must be commended by all right-thinking Deltans, for not accepting retrenchment of workers option.
“As a government, job and wealth creation remained one of the major pillars of Okowa administration and cannot, therefore, consider the negative option that would have rendered hundreds of Deltans jobless.
“The state civil servants and political appointees clearly understand the global economic hardship and a sharp drop in government earnings as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic,” Oghenesivbe said.
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