Delta Assembly Workers Plan Protest Over Transfer Of 30 Staff

PHOTO: RIGHT; DELTA HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY SPEAKER, HON. MARTIN OKONTA.

Asaba Feb 17, (THEWILL) - Workers of the Delta State House of Assembly have concluded arrangements to stage a peaceful protest following what they described as the ‘illegal transfer’ of about 30 staff to remote local government areas across the state.

According to sources in the Assembly the protest is to press home the injustices being meted on workers by some clique in the leadership of the house. It was reliably learnt that the protest would cripple all official activities in the complex including private business.

It would be recalled that an internal crisis is said to be rocking the Delta state House of Assembly following the decision of the House leadership to transfer about 30 civil servants to remote local government areas across the state. 

Those affected by the transfer have called it illegal saying they are being transferred because the leadership of the assembly considered them to be threat to their irregularities.

THEWILL checks had earlier revealed that the Deputy Clerk of the house Mrs. Lyna Ocholor whose name appeared on the transfer list was removed over night due to pressures from certain quarters.

According to Assembly sources, despite the Head of Service, Dr. Sam Okpokpor’s advice against the posting, the House leadership proceeded with it after pressuring the state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Udughan for approval.

It was also gathered that after succeeding in obtaining the governor’s approval, the Head of Service was pressurized to prepare the list for the transfer which had the name of the Deputy Clerk and that was what stalled the implementation of the transfer before she was delisted.

The transfer letter before our reporter from the office of the Head of Service with reference number (HOD/pm/26/T4/69) signed by the Permanent Secretary, one I. V. Okwuone tagged “Redeployment of House of Assembly Staff” has the Deputy Clerk’s name as member 25 on the list. 

Most of those affected told our reporter that the move was against the provision of the public service rule.

The workers have refused to proceed on the transfer.