By Andy Asemota
In a bid to ensure obnoxious arrangements enthroned by the immediate past administration does not continue to dehumanize hundreds of workers in Edo State, the incumbent Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has resolved to ease out the employment consultants and contractors hiring persons in the state public service as casual workers.
The Head of service HOS, in the state, Dr Anthony Okungbowa, who disclosed this to newsmen in Benin City, said the Okpebholo-led administration had, as part of its people-centered initiatives, offer substantive employment to 360 workers hitherto receiving about N20,000 to N30,000 as monthly salaries in the state.
Dr. Okungbowa affirmed that the state would no longer engage employment consultants and contractors to shortchange long-suffering citizens while the middle men and women smile to the bank.
His words: “Gov. Okpebholo is not pleased with the arrangement of the Obaseki administration, and has instructed that a direct employment should be embarked on to ensure Edo people are recruited into the State civil and public service and get paid the N70,000 minimum wage.
“Before now, cleaners in the State were receiving N20,000 to N30,000. They were paid less because consultants were businessmen trying to make gains but the Okpebholo administration decided to change the narrative by giving direct employment to enhance the lives of the people and ensure they enjoy good and practical governance.
“These cleaners then under the previous administration were not government workers but worked for different contractors/consultants and job security was not guaranteed as workers under consultancy services could be sacked unceremoniously,” Okungbowa added.
The HOS further said the present administration has brought into the Edo State Civil and Public Service 360 Edo citizens across the three Senatorial District through direct employment and are now civil and public servants in Edo State.
The HOS, on behalf of Edo State workers, thanked the governor for embarking on the people-centered initiative of employing a good number of Edo people into the Service and ensuring they benefit from the minimum wage as opposed to what was obtainable in the previous administration.
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