Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has disclosed that his monthly take-home pay stands at ₦503,000, significantly less than the ₦900,000 earned by Permanent Secretaries in the state’s civil service.
Speaking on Thursday at the inauguration of 12 four-bedroom terraced duplexes and the presentation of 12 official vehicles to newly appointed Permanent Secretaries in Asaba, Oborevwori explained that his administration reviewed top civil servants’ pay upwards following complaints of salary parity with directors.
He noted: “When the Permanent Secretaries said most of the Directors are receiving almost the same thing with them, we increased their money. Today, Permanent Secretaries… Your salary is 900, my salary is 503,000, Governor’s salary. Head of Service is one million. It’s clear.”
The governor emphasised that key appointments and welfare enhancements across the civil service remain rooted strictly in fairness and equity. The recent elevation of 12 Permanent Secretaries in May fulfilled a statutory balance by guaranteeing that every local government area in Delta State now has representation in the top civil service echelon.
Oborevwori noted: “All the Permanent Secretaries appointed, no one was recommended by anybody, but by merit.”
Oborevwori outlined several capacity-building and financial empowerment initiatives spearheaded by his administration to bolster productivity. These include supplying agricultural inputs to civil servants entering farming to boost food security and income, funding ASCON training for 450 senior managers, and supporting hundreds of workers through official housing and vehicle loan schemes. Earlier, operational vehicles had similarly been distributed to sitting Permanent Secretaries to improve administrative efficiency.
On workers’ remuneration, Oborevwori highlighted Delta’s leadership in implementing the new national minimum wage in full following tripartite talks with organised labour.
He added that the state will institute a mandatory end-of-year bonus for public workers, stating: “Not to forget that recently we approved the payment of 13th month salary for civil servants, beginning from December this year. It might interest you to know that we are in the process of sending an executive bill to the Delta State House of Assembly to give this gesture legal backing.”
The governor charged civil servants and political appointees to maintain high ethical standards by rejecting absenteeism, waste, corruption, and nepotism. While promising continued infrastructure investments to drive public service delivery, he urged the recipients of the newly commissioned residential duplexes to ensure the security, cleanliness, and rigorous upkeep of the quarters.