The leadership of the 8th Delta Assembly has promised to seek solution to the accommodation challenges faced by the State House of Assembly Service Commission.
Speaker, Emomotimi Guwor made the promise when he paid an unscheduled visit to the Commission’s office located off DBS road, Asaba for an on-the-spot assessment of facilities in the rented accommodation.
The staff of the Commission had during the Speaker’s meeting with Management and members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, Delta State chapter, at the Assembly Complex after Wednesday’s plenary of the House, challenged Rt Hon Emomotimi Guwor to visit the Commission’s office to ascertain the state of affairs.
They alleged serious abandonment and lack of good knowledge of the working environment as no Speaker of the Delta Assembly had visited the place since they moved into the premises.
Rising from the meeting, the Speaker, accompanied by the Majority Leader, Emeka Nwaobi, Minority Leader, Dafe Emakpor, Chief Whip, Perkins Umukoro and the Members representing Oshimili North and Oshimili South, Frank Esenwah and Bridget Anyanfulu, and the Acting Clerk of the State Assembly, Oto Aghoghopia, stormed the place to see authenticity of the claims.
Rt Hon Guwor and his team were received by the Acting Chairman of the Commission, Mr Sunday Ebireri who enumerated the numerous challenges faced working in such an environment.
Mr Ebireri explained that besides the epileptic power supply and high cost of running a diesel generator, insecurity, good access road and massive flooding of the premises whenever it rains with the accompanied reptiles, had remained issues of concern for the staff.
He recalled when a former Chairman of the Commission was kidnapped while leaving the office at the close of work, saying that loneliness, isolation and exposure to serious danger were the hallmarks of working in the environment.
According to Mr Ebireri, the challenges faced are affecting the productivity of staff, saying that once the staff are not motivated, output is always very low.
The Commission’s Acting Chairman thanked the Speaker for the visit.
Responding, the Speaker, Emomotimi Guwor, affirmed his readiness to improve upon the achievements of the past Presiding Officers of the House and called for cooperation and understanding.
Guwor expressed concern over the state of affairs at the office premises and promised to follow up with relevant stakeholders towards ensuring solutions to the enumerated challenges.
He acknowledged that once a good working environment is provided and the staff are motivated, productivity will be high.
