Oborevwori Reveals Delta Perm Secs Earn N900,000 Monthly, More Than Governor

• Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has disclosed that his monthly salary is lower than what Permanent Secretaries in the state receive.

• The disclosure came as Oborevwori inaugurated 12 four-bedroom terraced duplexes and presented official vehicles to 12 newly appointed Permanent Secretaries.

• Oborevwori announced that Delta civil servants would begin receiving a 13th-month salary from December 2026.

• While defending the Permanent Secretary appointments as merit-based and designed to give all 25 local government areas representation, Oborevwori warned civil servants that improved welfare must translate into better productivity.

August 21, () — Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has triggered fresh debate over public-sector remuneration after revealing that his monthly salary is lower than that of Permanent Secretaries in the state civil service.

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

The governor said he earns N503,000 monthly, while Permanent Secretaries receive N900,000, following an upward adjustment of their pay after they complained that Directors were earning almost the same amount.

“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 N900,000, my salary is N503,000, Governor’s salary,” Oborevwori said.

He added that the Head of Service earns N1 million monthly, joking that some Permanent Secretaries might be unwilling to disclose their earnings to their spouses.

The disclosure comes amid a broader national debate over the remuneration of political and public office holders, with the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission reviewing salaries and allowances of public officials.

Oborevwori, however, presented the salary adjustment as part of his administration’s broader effort to motivate workers and improve the effectiveness of the state civil service.

The governor said the state had provided official vehicles to serving Permanent Secretaries to enhance their mobility and operational efficiency, adding that another 12 vehicles were being handed over to the newly appointed officials.

Beyond the vehicles, he said 302 public officers had benefited from the Public Officers’ Vehicle Loan Scheme, while 119 others had accessed housing loans.

He disclosed that civil servants interested in agriculture had also received farm inputs to enable them to establish additional income streams while contributing to food security.

Another 450 senior management officers, according to the governor, participated in a seven-weekend training programme organised in collaboration with the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria.

13th-Month Salary

Oborevwori also announced that Delta civil servants would begin receiving a 13th-month salary from December 2026.

The governor said the state government was preparing an executive bill for transmission to the Delta State House of Assembly to give the payment legal backing and make it a permanent entitlement beyond the tenure of the current administration.

“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,” he said.

According to him, once the legislation is enacted, the payment would continue even after he leaves office in 2031.

Oborevwori also recalled that Delta was among the early states to implement the new national minimum wage, saying the decision followed consultations with labour and senior government officials.

Perm Sec Appointments

The governor also defended the appointment of the 12 Permanent Secretaries, insisting that the selection was based on merit rather than political influence.

He said the appointments made in May were structured to ensure that all 25 local government areas in the state had representation at the Permanent Secretary level.

“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.

Oborevwori urged the new Permanent Secretaries to justify their appointments by improving productivity and maintaining the integrity of the public service.

He warned civil servants against absenteeism, nepotism, waste, inefficiency, bribery and corruption, stressing that improved welfare must be matched by better performance.

The governor also charged the beneficiaries of the newly inaugurated residential facilities to ensure their maintenance, security and cleanliness.