Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Friday, revealed that Delta State is heavily indebted, and the state is in a financial mess.

He, however, said that undermining the debt burden plaguing the state, his government must forge on so as to deliver electoral promises to Deltans.

Okowa made the revelation during a meeting with Senior Civil Servants who paid him a visit at the Government House in Asaba on Friday.

Although Okowa failed to reveal the quantum of debt hanging on his government, he said: “We are in a major debt overhang, a very difficult financial state, we should appreciate that and the onus is on all of us to find a way out, we will need to find a way to input on the lives of our people in Delta State.”

He told the civil servants that the meeting was necessary to “discuss the debts over hang, brief the civil servants on the present state of things and rub minds on the way forward, both now and the years to come.”

He told the senior civil servants led by the State Head of Service, Patrick Origho, that government needed the full cooperation of civil servants to succeed, explaining that no government could make any meaningful impact in the citizen’s lives and deliver electoral promises outside the support of the civil service in any government.

To this end, he said, “I want to let you know that we are in partnership with you because without you, we cannot succeed,” stating that a disciplined and trustworthy civil service was a necessary requirement for success in government.

According to Okowa, “We desire a civil service that is trusted by Deltans and the government of Delta State.” He added: “You should be disciplined in your hearts and instill discipline among the working class, you are the role models people look up to and the success of our administration will largely depend on you, there is a burden on each of you for us to deliver on our five point agenda.”

The governor commended the civil servants for their contributions to the growth of the state.

Earlier, the Head of Service in the state, Mr Patrick Origho, had congratulated the Governor and his Deputy on their successful assumption of office and pledged an unalloyed loyalty of the civil servants to Senator Okowa-led government.

•Photo shows Okowa

Update news