By ENITAN ABEL JOHNGOLD ORHERUATA, mnipr

Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has broken his silence on the death of Unity Adeda, a Level 16 civil servant who died following a fracas at the state Secretariat, assuring that justice will prevail.

Oborevwori spoke on Monday at the send-off ceremony for the immediate past Head of Service, retired Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Extra-Ministerial Departments at Unity Hall, Old Government House, Asaba.

The governor, who described the incident as tragic, said he was unable to comment fully on the circumstances surrounding Adeda’s death because the matter was already under police investigation.

He, however, assured Deltans that the government would not allow the matter to be swept under the carpet.

“I assure all Deltans and residents in the state that justice will prevail,” Oborevwori said.

The governor disclosed that the state government had also constituted an Administrative Panel to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fracas at the Secretariat which eventually led to Adeda’s death.

He explained that the panel’s assignment was distinct from the police investigation, stressing that its work was to establish whether any Civil Service rules or regulations were breached by the officers involved and make recommendations to prevent a recurrence.

Apparently responding to concerns that the administrative inquiry could be used to cover up the circumstances surrounding the officer’s death, Oborevwori said the government deliberately excluded politicians from the panel.

“For the sake of transparency and to avoid suspicion, we made sure there is no politician on the Panel; all the members are from the organised labour and the Civil Service,” he said.

He added that the administrative investigation would neither undermine nor frustrate the police probe.

The governor’s remarks came just days after Adeda’s death, which has cast a shadow over the state civil service and renewed attention on the need for discipline, restraint and peaceful resolution of disputes among public officers.

In a particularly solemn moment at the ceremony, Oborevwori asked those present to observe a minute’s silence in honour of the deceased officer.

“May God grant his soul eternal repose,” he said, while conveying the deepest condolences of the Delta State Government to Adeda’s family.

Drawing a lesson from the tragedy, the governor urged civil servants to exercise maximum restraint, particularly when confronted with provocation.

“This tragedy is a cautionary tale to all of us to always exercise maximum restraint and maintain calmness even in the face of extreme provocation,” he said.

“Self-control is the hallmark of maturity.”

Away from the Adeda tragedy, Oborevwori used the occasion to announce that Delta State workers are on the verge of receiving a major welfare boost, with the proposed 13th month salary set to become law.

The governor said the Executive Bill for the payment of the 13th month salary had already been passed and would receive his assent in the coming days.

“Not many days from today, I will assent to the bill, and the 13th month salary will subsequently become a law of the Delta State Government,” he said.

According to him, the initiative is part of his administration’s determination to leave behind a highly motivated, competent and performance-driven workforce.

The governor also highlighted efforts to transform the state civil service into a modern and technology-driven institution.

He disclosed that more than 500 civil servants across 19 Ministries, Departments and Agencies had so far received training on the digitalisation of the civil service.

The training, he said, was aimed at enabling faster, more efficient and cost-effective government operations.

Oborevwori added that performance-monitoring mechanisms had also been introduced to make workers more result-oriented and accountable.

The governor said his administration was equally committed to improving the working and living conditions of civil servants.

He disclosed that every serving Permanent Secretary now has an official vehicle, while a fleet of vehicles had been acquired for officials of the Local Government Service Commission.

He also pointed to increased access to the Public Officers Housing Loan and Vehicle Loan schemes.

According to him, the recent commissioning of 12 terrace duplexes for serving Permanent Secretaries, alongside approval for another 12, underscored the government’s commitment to providing civil servants with the tools and facilities required to perform effectively.

Oborevwori also reiterated his commitment to equity in appointments and infrastructure, noting that every local government area in the state now has a Permanent Secretary following the appointment and swearing-in of 12 Permanent Secretaries in May. the ceremony, the governor commended the retired senior civil servants for their years of service and described the send-off as a worthy tradition for recognising public officers who had served the state meritoriously.

He urged serving officers to emulate the retirees and build on the standards they had established.

“Retirement does not mean you are no longer relevant,” Oborevwori said, describing retirement as a transition into a new phase in which the retirees’ experience, wisdom and professionalism could continue to benefit society.

But beneath the celebration of retired careers, the death of Unity Adeda provided the ceremony with its most poignant moment.

For the Delta State Government, the ongoing police investigation and administrative panel will now determine the full circumstances surrounding the Level 16 officer’s death, while the governor’s call for restraint has placed a fresh emphasis on discipline and professionalism within the state’s public service.