The family of late Mr Unity Adeda, a Level 16 civil servant in Nigeria's Delta State, has rejected condolence visits from the state government and police command. Adeda reportedly died following an altercation at his workplace in the Ministry of Secondary Education. The rejection comes despite assurances from the government and police that justice would be served.
A delegation led by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Kingsley Emu, visited the deceased's family on Saturday to commiserate with them over the incident. The delegation included senior government officials such as the Chief of Staff to the Governor and Permanent Secretaries from various ministries. They expressed the government's deep concern over the incident and assured the family that every life mattered to the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
According to Dr. Emu, the government is still establishing the full circumstances surrounding Adeda's death as the police investigation is ongoing. Preliminary accounts indicate that an internal altercation at the workplace escalated, leading to the incident. Governor Oborevwori has directed the Commissioner of Police to thoroughly investigate the matter, and some persons connected to the incident have made statements to the police.
The state government has also set up an administrative panel consisting of serving and retired civil servants to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident. The panel aims to strengthen internal conflict-resolution mechanisms within the public service. Dr. Emu emphasized that the administrative panel's role is not to conflict with the judicial process or police investigation but to help rebuild the system and enrich conflict-management processes.
Dr. Emu disclosed that the government met with labour leaders following the incident and assured them that the workplace remained safe for civil servants. The government and labour leaders agreed on the need for an administrative panel and police investigation. The SSG appealed for calm, assuring that the government would ensure justice is served.
The incident has raised concerns about workplace safety and conflict resolution in the public service. The government's response aims to address these concerns and prevent similar incidents in the future. The police investigation and administrative panel's findings are expected to shed more light on the circumstances surrounding Adeda's death.
The family’s rejection of the condolence visits suggests that they may be seeking a more concrete resolution to the incident. The government's efforts to address the situation and ensure justice are ongoing. Three key points have emerged: the government is committed to investigating the incident, an administrative panel has been set up to examine workplace conflict-resolution mechanisms, and the police investigation is ongoing.
Key points
- The Delta State government has set up an administrative panel to examine workplace conflict-resolution mechanisms.
- The police investigation into the incident is ongoing.
- The family of the deceased civil servant has rejected condolence visits from the government and police.
