Nigeria (Blank NEWS Online) –
Governor of Delta state, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has ordered the immediate sack of the General Manager of Delta Transport Company Limited, Elder Eyione Isaiah.
The Governor also approved the suspension from office of the Company Secretary Barr. Henry Ogichigba and Mr. Frank Preh, the Auditor of the Company.
It could be recalled that the embattled General Manager , Mr. Isaiah Eyione and the Chief Accountant, Mr. Josiah Isheke had been fingered in an alleged misappropriation of some bilions of naira grant accruing to the company during the past administrations.
The company had been indebted to banks and had failed to pay its staff salaries for over five months owing to failure of the management to maximize the company’s internally generated revenue and state government’s monthly grants to the company.
The company, according to sources, is also indebted to Zenith Bank and Wetland Micro Finance Bank which funded the purchase of buses leased to them despite its huge allocations and revenue.
Delta Line company, sources said, generates about N2.5 million daily and an average of N80million in a month.
Governor Okowa since resumption of office had instituted a panel to look into the affairs of Delta Line, assuring that the right decisions would be taken to the benefits of Deltans.
The sack and suspension order is contained in a letter signed by the state Commissioner for Information, Me. Patrick Ukah and made available to Blank NEWS Online on Monday 14th December, 2015. The leter titled GOVERNMENT SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT reads:
“It is hereby announced for the information of the general public particularly Deltans that His Excellency, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State, has approved the removal from office of Elder Eyione Isaiah, General Manager, Delta Transport Company Limited.
“Also, His Excellency the Governor has approved the suspension from office of the Company Secretary Barr. Henry Ogichigba and Mr. Frank Preh, the Auditor of the Company.
“The General Manager is advised to handover all document relating to the running of the Company and all the company’s property to the Director of Administration.
“The State Commissioner for Transport has been directed to oversee the running of the company till further notice.
“The Delta State Government has also ordered an audit inquiry into the activities of the company.”
Blank NEWS Online can disclose that earlier today, Monday, December 14, Governor Okowa waded into the crisis rocking the Delta State owned transport company, Delta Line saying it was disheartening for the company to owe workers more than six months salaries.
Addressing workers of Delta Line who visited him under the aegis of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service, Recreational and Technical Service Employees (AUPCTRE) in Asaba, Governor Okowa emphasized that, his administration was committed to managing the resources of the state transparently and to the benefits of the people.
“I will not deliberately ask that workers should be owed salaries, I will not deliberately say workers should not be paid, but, to say that the company is indebted to the banks to the tune of about N400 million is sad,” the Governor said, adding, “it is unfortunate that workers of Delta Line have not been paid their salaries for six months.”
While observing that the transport company have been fully commercialized, the Governor noted that the money the company generates was supposed to be ploughed back into the business and that it was unfortunate that despite the state government’s interventions in providing vehicles, the management of the company could not keep it afloat.
“If the management of the company is not running it well, appropriate actions must be taken,” Governor Okowa emphasized while lauding the Union for applying dialogue rather than resorting to unconventional means towards making the management of the company pay them their salaries.
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