Days after commending Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for institutionalizing the 13th-month salary in Delta State, the *DTHA Staff and Friends for Sheriff/Onyeme 2027* has taken its campaign a step further, calling on other states to adopt the Delta model.
The group, led by its Chairman and Secretary of the Delta State House of Assembly Service Commission, *Barr. Austin Uwasike*, said Delta has set a national standard that should be emulated by other State Governments and Houses of Assembly.
Speaking with _Credible Media Reporters_ in Asaba on Wednesday, Barr. Uwasike said the law passed by the Delta State House of Assembly on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, under the presiding of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Dennis Guwor, has made Delta the first state in Nigeria to give legal backing to 13th-month salary payment.
Recall that the group had earlier described the law as a game-changer that will boost productivity, morale and efficiency in the state civil service. Uwasike had said the legislation has ended anxiety around extra payments and will translate to prompt file treatment and better service delivery to Deltans.
In the fresh follow-up interview, he said while many states are still struggling with regular payment of salaries, Delta has moved ahead to guarantee an extra month by law.
“Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has shown that it is possible to prioritize workers even in a challenging economy. This is not a Greek gift, it is a law. Other Governors should stop giving discretionary bonuses that end with their tenure and do what Delta has done. Let them give workers legal certainty,” Uwasike stated.
He explained that the Delta model protects workers from policy summersaults by future administrations, unlike the old practice where 13th-month payments were at the discretion of the sitting Governor.
According to him, the law will not only boost workers’ purchasing power and reduce corrupt tendencies, but will also have a multiplier effect on the local economy during the festive season, aligning with the M.O.R.E Agenda of the administration.
The group noted that labour unions across the country are already citing Delta as an example during negotiations, and that the synergy between the Executive and Legislature in the state has produced a law that will outlive the present administration.
Barr. Uwasike said the group has now resolved to embark on a sensitization drive across Ministries, Departments and Agencies to enlighten workers on the significance of the law and to encourage reciprocity through dedication and support for continuity beyond 2027.
“We are calling on the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures, and organized labour to adopt the Delta model. If every state can copy this, the Nigerian worker will be better for it,” he added.
He reaffirmed that the DTHA Staff and Friends for Sheriff/Onyeme 2027 remains committed to projecting Delta’s achievements nationally while mobilizing support for the Oborevwori/Onyeme administration.
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