A wave of relief swept through Edo Broadcasting Service (EBS) today as 69 employees, recruited under former Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration in August 2024, finally received seven months’ worth of overdue salaries.
The staff members – who had been inexplicably omitted from the state payroll since their appointment – were left in severe financial distress until Governor Monday Okpebholo’s decisive intervention.
The breakthrough came after EBS Managing Director, Sulaiman Aledeh, brought the crisis to the new governor’s attention.
Demonstrating urgent leadership, Okpebholo immediately ordered a verification process to confirm the legitimacy of the 2024 recruitment while simultaneously pledging to resolve the payment delays.
“This wasn’t just about money – it was about survival,” one emotional staff member revealed as salary alerts finally lit up phones at the broadcaster’s headquarters. The long-delayed payments represent a lifeline for employees who had struggled to meet basic needs during the protracted payment delay.
Governor Okpebholo’s prompt response contrasts sharply with the seven-month payroll limbo under the previous administration. The resolution underscores the new administration’s commitment to addressing inherited civil service challenges while ensuring proper hiring protocols are maintained.
In addition to this landmark resolution, Governor Okpebholo has recently made headlines by abolishing the previous system whereby cleaners in the state were employed through external consultants.
He has mandated that all cleaning staff be directly employed, thereby guaranteeing them a fair minimum wage and access to the benefits that accompany state civil service roles.
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