Okowa appoints over 1,500 aides
In spite of the prevailing austere economy, Delta State Governor Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has engaged about 1, 500 appointees in his four months old administration.
The state governor has also appointed 25 commissioners and about an equal number of special advisers.
The commissioners were entitled to at least five aides, while the governor and his deputy have over five executive assistants, hundreds of senior special assistants, special assistants and personal assistants, appointed into special duties, media/press, protocol, security and other political offices.
Okowa has also appointed a 31man State Advisory Council and filled appointments into most of the boards, parastatals and agencies of the state government.
So far, the cumulative number of appointments made by the executive arm of the state’s government was over 1, 500.
This number is separate from the appointments made in the legislature, where the speaker is entitled to over 50 aides, deputy speaker, about 40 aides, and the 27 legislators have five aides each.
Despite the harvest of appointments, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state was not at ease, following the gale of defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in protest to what the defectors dubbed as Okowa’s “family and cronies” administration.