- Sends Members’ List To Delta Assembly
As the October exit date for Chairmen and Councillors of different local government councils in Delta State draws near, Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa has signed into law the Delta State Independent National Electoral Commission (DSIEC) Bill.
The Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori accompanied by his Deputy, Rt. Hon. Friday Osanebi, Clerk of the House, Mrs. Lyna Ochulor and other Principal officers of the legislature had presented the bill with two other bills: the Local Government Amendment Bill (2017) and the Administration of Criminal Justice Bill (2016) to the Governor for assent yesterday (Monday) at Government House, Asaba.
Governor Okowa at the occasion which was witnessed by some members of the state executive council, observed that “the signing into law of the DSIEC Bill 2017 is very important at this point in time, the law will strengthen the activities of the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission and I believe that with this action, members of the Commission will be appointed to take office for the smooth conduct of the local government elections.”
The Governor who lauded the vibrancy and cooperation of the Delta State Legislators in making laws that will ensure good governance, respect for rule of law and progressive society, stated that his administration will continue to support local government councils to offset their salary arrears.
Throwing more light on the situation with the local government councils, the Governor disclosed that some of the local government councils are heavily indebted to their staff as a result of having a lot of teachers and employees. He however noted that there are some local government councils in the state that are not owing salary arrears.
He said that efforts were on to ensure that only genuine workers earn salaries and called on the Unions in the local government councils to support the ongoing biometric exercise to weed out ghost workers from the system.
“We will continue to support the local government councils for them to pay salaries; allocation to local government councils is very low which has made some of them to find it difficult to pay salaries,” he said.
He added, “there are councils that are not owing salaries because their wage bill is low, I am aware that some councils have paid salaries up to date and we are working hard to ensure that only those who work are paid as there are many ghost workers.”
The Governor stressed that the essence of the biometrics system introduced in the local government councils is to ensure that those who are fraudulently receiving salaries are fished out and removed from the pay roll to enable the councils have more money to pay their staff salaries.
Rt. Hon. Oborovweri had told the Governor that the bills passed through a rigorous process of different committees of the legislature disclosing, that it was a thing of joy that Delta State is among the very few states that have passed the Administration of Criminal Justice Bill into law.
Meanwhile, Governor Okowa has submitted a list of members of the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission to the State House of Assembly for confirmation.
The Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori announced to the House the content of a letter from the governor conveying the list of Commissioners who will pilot the affairs of the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, (DSIEC) for confirmation.
The list of the Commissioners which is subject to screening and subsequent confirmation by the House, was contained in a letter sent to the House by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
The letter read in part stated that, “In exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 198 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended. I wish to submit as here under, the list of nominees for appointment as Members of the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, (DSIEC).”
The list as contained in the letter include: Chief Mike Ogbodu – Chairman; Mr. Fredrick Oduje Ulakpa, member, Mr. Friday Edmund Seimode, member, Mr. James Eruorhevwameme Umukoro, member and Mr. Gregory Chukwuma Edeme, member.
Other members of the Commission include Mr. Light Oritseweyinmi Diden, member and Mrs. Yvonne Ovuevo Wagbatsoma, member
The Governor urged the House to take early action on the nominees for consideration and confirmation to enable him effect their appointments as required by Constitution.
The Speaker thereafter asked the nominees to submit 35 copies of their Curriculum Vitae and appear before the House tomorrow, September 20, 2017 for screening.
It would be recalled that the former DSIEC Board was sacked by the House on the grounds of defects in the law which brought them into the Commission.
