By Anne Azuka
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State on Wednesday called for the introduction of whistleblowing to curb poor project execution in the state.
Speaking during an interactive meeting with Permanent Secretaries, Directors, and Heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) at Government House, Asaba, the governor expressed gratitude to civil servants for their loyalty, support, commitment, and dedication to duty.
He noted that the meeting, the third in a series since his assumption of office, was necessitated by reports of civil servants colluding with contractors to defraud the state through substandard project execution.
The governor revealed that two engineers had been suspended for certifying incomplete projects for payment, emphasizing that the action was meant to serve as a deterrent to others.
Oborevwori stated:
“All I require from you is loyalty, commitment, and dedication to duty—not personal gain. For us, it is Delta State first. In advancing Delta through our MORE Agenda, we must always give the best to Deltans.”
“A situation where a supervising engineer issues a certificate for an incomplete project, leading to payments being made, is unacceptable.”
“If a project specifies a 12mm rod and something else is used, is that right?”
“Upon discovering shoddy work and the issuance of completion certificates for unfinished projects, I immediately directed that those involved be issued queries.”
Governor Oborevwori, a Christian, assured that while he would temper justice with mercy, appropriate punishment would be meted out to erring officials to serve as a warning to others.
“When a contractor is blacklisted, they can move on to other businesses. But as civil servants, if you are caught in corrupt practices, you will be dismissed. Why jeopardize your career?”
“Some contractors have multiple companies, but if you lose your job as a civil servant, what’s next? That is why I am saying, ‘Let’s be on the same page, let’s work together to build and move Delta State forward.’”
“I cannot succeed without your support. Please save me the stress of running from one project site to another. If you do the right thing, I won’t have to personally inspect every project.”
The governor stressed the importance of transparency, accountability, zero tolerance for corruption, ethical leadership, and whistleblowing, highlighting the consequences of misconduct.
“We need to encourage whistleblowing in the state, and we will establish hotlines for this purpose. If a contractor is executing a substandard road project, residents can take pictures and send them to us.”
“The people have the right to report poor work, and all information provided will be treated with strict confidentiality,” he added.
