Former manager, government relations, Shell Petroleum Development Corporation (SPDC), Charles Akeni, Wednesday described as shameful, Delta State monthly wage bills of N7 billion.
The Ozoro traditional title holder of “Okiroro” expressed his displeasure shortly after the Delta state Governor, Mr. Ifeanyi Okowa’s disclosure of the state monthly wage bills of N7 billion, during the governor’s flag off of his town hall meeting ahead of the 2019 campaigns for his second tenure, held at Ozoro, headquarters of Isoko North local government area of the state.
Akeni, Chairman board of The Film And Broadcast Academy (FABA), Ozoro who took to his facebook account wrote “Delta State wage bill is N7 billion monthly. While that of Edo State is N2.9bn monthly. THIS IS A SHAME!!!!
“But why won’t Delta State wage bill be high when the State Government does not know how to create the enabling environment for big companies that create pensionable jobs, pay huge taxes, spin off multiplier effects and grow the economy to thrive? They feel they can employ everybody in the State. Why complain?”
According to the illustrious son of Ozoro kingdom, “When I promoted Modular Refineries to DESOPADEC in 2007, what did they do with it? Didn’t they kill it with their greed? By now hundreds of thousands of Deltans would have been on pensionable jobs and IGR would have been high enough to employ more people.
“Now I have made Modular Refinery Projects to be in vogue again, this time at the Federal level. Is Delta State government tapping into it? The one page document I sent to Delta State government is nowhere to be found. Oh, I cry for my State. I cry. Opportunity did not meet preparedness. So no miracle. Sorry.”
Akeni accused some of the state government officials of stealing from intellectuals and diverting proposals prepared by individuals with time and hard earned resources for selfish and greedy reasons.
“Every proposal sent to government gets diverted to somebody’s brother who doesn’t know jack about it. It becomes bastardised. What a shame!!!!!”
