Secret Reporters
In a time of deepening economic hardship, when public servants can barely afford to feed their families or meet basic needs, it is both insensitive and troubling to see authorities, government officials, impose financial obligations on already struggling workers. The welfare of staff should be a top priority, yet policies are being rolled out with little to no regard for the dire conditions faced by those who keep the public sector functioning. Demanding out-of-pocket expenses from employees whose salaries are hardly sufficient for survival reflects a disturbing lack of empathy and accountability in governance.
Rather than easing the burdens of their workforce, some institutions continue to introduce compulsory schemes that extract more from the pockets of poorly paid workers. This growing pattern of disregard erodes morale, fuels resentment, and undermines the very foundation of service delivery.
In the same vein, the government of Rt. Hon. (Elder) Sheriff Francis Orohwedor Oborevwori, without any shame, has devised a way to milk struggling staff and workers of their hard-earned money or risk not getting promoted despite the wanton looting of funds that have been going on in the state government.
It was revealed that the Delta State Post Primary Education Board (PPEB) under the leadership of Rt. Hon. (Elder) Sheriff Francis Orohwedor Oborevwori, has mandated all teaching and non-teaching staff across the state to purchase an ICT tablet as a prerequisite for computer proficiency training, a move now tied to staff promotion eligibility.
In an official circular exclusively obtained by SecretReporters, dated July 23, 2025, and signed by Bazunu Aghogho Precious on behalf of the Executive Chairman, PPEB stated that the acquisition of the tablet is “compulsory”, noting that the device has been specially programmed with educational tools meant to enhance ICT skills in line with secondary education standards.
Even more concerning and, to some extent, criminal for many staff is the directive that only those who show proof of ownership of the tablet or evidence of having signed up for salary deductions to pay for it, will be considered in the ongoing promotion exercise. The tablets are provided by TrendAfrique Solutions Ltd., a private company facilitating the training.
The development has sparked widespread unease among staff, who say they are already struggling to survive under Nigeria’s current economic crisis. Teachers and non-teaching staff, many of whom earn meagre wages and are often paid late, now face the pressure of having to commit part of their salary to purchase a tablet or risk being left out of long-overdue promotions.