Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has disclosed that he earns a monthly salary of N503,000, saying Permanent Secretaries in the state now receive N900,000.

Oborevwori made the disclosure in Asaba on Thursday while inaugurating 12 four-bedroom terraced duplexes and presenting official vehicles to 12 newly appointed Permanent Secretaries.

“When the Permanent Secretaries said most of the Directors are receiving almost the same thing with them, we increased their money. Today, Permanent Secretaries… Your salary is 900, my salary is 503,000, Governor’s salary.

“Head of Service is one million. It’s clear. So, you know some of them don’t want their husbands to know how much they are receiving,” he said.

The governor said his administration had introduced several welfare measures for civil servants, including vehicle and housing loans, farm inputs and training opportunities.

He said 302 public officers had benefited from vehicle loans, while 119 had received housing loans. Another 450 senior management staff, he added, participated in a seven-weekend training programme.

Oborevwori also announced that the state had approved a 13th-month salary for civil servants from December, with an executive bill being prepared to make the payment a legal entitlement.

“Not to forget that recently we approved the payment of 13th month salary for civil servants, beginning from December this year.

“It might interest you to know that we are in the process of sending an executive bill to the Delta State House of Assembly to give this gesture legal backing.

“So, it is something that is compulsory. By the time it has legal backing, even when I leave office in 2031, they will still be paying you your 13th month salary,” he added.

The governor said the 12 Permanent Secretaries appointed in May were selected on merit and ensured that every local government area was represented in the state’s civil service leadership.

“The process was properly done. Not by saying, even the one that was appointed in my place, I don’t even know the person. All the Permanent Secretaries appointed, no one was recommended by anybody, but by merit,” he said.

He urged civil servants to avoid absenteeism, nepotism, waste, inefficiency, bribery and corruption, while calling on beneficiaries of the new residential facilities to maintain and protect them.