Wike Gives Fresh Order On Civil Servants In Rivers State Ahead Of Guber Election

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has ahead of Saturday’s gubernatorial election, ordered the state civil service commission to hasten the promotion of civil servants across all levels in the state.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, stated that the directive was not political as many may have thought so.

Naija News understands that Wike’s second governorship term will elapse in the next few months and would have no room to seek re-election for the same position.

Wike, who spoke during the swearing-in of new members of the Civil Service Commission at Government House, in Port Harcourt on Monday, asked members of the new Rivers Civil Service Commission to immediately go to work and put machinery in place for carrying out the backlog of promotion of civil servants in the state.

According to a statement issued through his Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, the Rivers State governor further assured that the planned employment of thousands of youths into the civil service is a must-achieved task under his administration.

Wike said both exercises must be completed in the next one month.

Naija News understands that the new Civil Service Commission in Rivers state has Sir. Clifford Ndu Walter as the Chairman with Venerable Richard Okpara, Barr. Osima Gina, Sir. John Pascal Nali and Chief Mike Elechi as members.

Wike, however, warned the government officials against using their offices to witchhunt anybody but should make sure that they do thorough work.

The governor explained that when the new Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) leadership in the State paid him a courtesy visit last week at the Government House, he disclosed to them that the former NLC leadership was hostile towards the State, and made meaningful discussion almost impossible.

“Leadership can bring about progress. Leadership can bring about setbacks. Unfortunately, the then leadership of Labour was very hostile to the government, and so we felt that we had to tarry for a while. Now that we have a leadership that is willing to work with the government, those problems are now a thing of the past.

“So, you are to immediately start the promotion of our civil servants and compute the financial implications of that promotion, all levels of civil servants, no one should be discriminated against,” Wike noted.

He stressed the employment of the ten thousand Rivers youths in the civil service, directing the commission to open up the process to allow more applicants to apply.

Wike also reminded the commission to acknowledge that some persons had applied earlier when the government called for applications. He urged them to write to every ministry and request their manpower requirements which will guide them in the employment exercise.

The governor stressed that employment in the State Civil Service and every local government area must be accommodated and reflected in the personnel that will be engaged.

“And then, you must set up the necessary machinery for the immediate employment of our teeming youths. This should be done within the next one month, everything concluded.

“But let me warn you, and I have always said so, it is not for you to use it to witch hunt anybody.

“One of the things I’ve found out, I know people are looking for employment, but it must be done and thoroughly well and every local government must benefit from it because it is employment to the civil service. It is not employment to companies, no,” Wike said.