Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa & Delta Line

Deltans, NLC battle Okowa over Sale of Delta Line to God Is Good

Deltans have vehemently condemned and criticised the sale of Delta Line transport service to God is Good transport company by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa led government. Governor Okowa, who always cries of paucity of funds, hid under the sale to sack over 730 Delta line workers.

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Deltans said that Okowa refused to carry Deltans along in making such sensitive decision, saying that no stakeholders meeting was called to address the issue before proceeding with the sale of Delta Line.

XCLUSIVE MAGAZINE gathered that when the Delta State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress got the wind of the sale, they bided for N2 billion which was rejected by Okowa.

We also learnt that God is Good (GIG) Motors who allegedly bided as low as N161 million was accepted which no explanation was given to Deltans before settling for GIG motors.

XCLUSIVE MAGAZINE can authoritatively reveal that the sale of Delta Line, which was fraudulently done without due process, left Delta state government with 30% equity in the company while 70% equity goes to the God Is Good Motors.

A document perused by our correspondent at the Ministry of Justice, revealed that apart from the N161 million which the company was sold for, the name of the company will also be changed after five years.

Top government functionary revealed that Dr. Okowa who did not follow due process used the Commissioner for Economic Planning, Mr. Kingsley Emu to perpetrate the evil acts. According to him, “the deal was perfected for long. Governor Okowa has resolved to sell Delta Line to his friends, the owner of God Is Good Motors.”

There was a letter by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), signed by its state Secretary, Mr. Innocent Ofuoneyeadi, titled, “Re: Proposal To Acquire 60% Equity Of Delta Line Transport Services Limited (Delta Line) From Delta State Government, addressed to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa through Commissioner For Finance, Mr. David Edevbie, chairman, Partial Privatization Of Delta Transport Services Limited (Delta Line), with Ref No: DT/NLC/HE/055/VOL.10.”

The letter reads: “the state executive council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Delta state council, wish to draw your attention to the proposal made by the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreation Services Employees (AUPCTRE), Delta State council on the Proposal To Acquire 60% Equity Of Delta Transport Services Limited (Delta Line) From Delta State Government, and to further posit, that congress is interested, in the expression of interest to buy 60% equity investment stake in the Delta Transport Services Limited (Delta Line) under the state Government partial privatization programme as proposed by AUPCTRE.”

A staff of Delta Line, who would not want his name in print said “the deal was done in secrecy without due process. Our union, the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreation Services Employees (AUPCTRE), after bidding for N2 billion through the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), Delta state, was schemed out totally.”

He noted that the committee proposed 60% equity to be sold to the private sector while 40% equity to be retained by the government. We, Labour Congress, offered N2 billion while God is Good Motors offered N80 million and to our shock, we discovered that God Is Good Motors later increased it to N161 million to secure the bid while Labour with its N2 billion offer was rejected.”

NLC worker said that “the union will battle governor Okowa over the fraudulent sale and sack of Delta line workers, how can you just throw 730 workers into the labour market just like that.”

DELTA State Government has debunked insinuations that the state transport service, Delta Line has been sold, saying that the company has been repositioned for greater efficiency, improved profitability.

The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Mr Ehiedu Charles Aniagwu at a well attended press conference in Asaba, yesterday (29/08/17) disclosed that Governor Okowa values the roles the transportation company plays in the lives of Deltans and Nigerians in general and has never contemplated sales of the company, adding that the state government only divested 60 percent of its equity shares to ensure greater efficiency and improved profitability.

According to him, it has been discovered that over the years, the management of the company had failed to deliver on the purpose the company was set up but, rather, has incurred huge debts and also, failed to meet with its contractual obligations to workers prompting government to look at better ways to ensure that the desired results of rendering services to Deltans was achieved while the state government makes money from the company.

Mr. Aniagwu said that Governor Okowa’s administration has the intention of divesting government interests in the company by having 40 per cent equity shares while a reputable transport company takes 60 per cent shares.

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