On Monday, Philip Shaibu, the deputy governor of Edo State, hosted an Independence Day celebration for his staff in his office.
According to Gistlover, Shaibu threw the celebration to show his staff how much he appreciates them and gave two of his drivers houses as gifts.
Speaking at the event, Shaibu noted that employees like drivers are the most susceptible to assaults and that it is now his responsibility to annually recognize them and other employees for the contributions they make.
The deputy governor claimed that the celebration is a way for everyone to get along, unwind, and view one another as family. He added that he throws the party every year to show his appreciation for his employees.
Due to the explosion that occurred in Koko, Delta State, which resulted in numerous fatalities, Shaibu claimed that he was forced to cancel the yearly event this year.
He said, “We have rewarded one of our drivers today who is retiring with a token, that is what we do every year. I have been doing this yearly where all my staff will come together with their families and mine, and we celebrate together.
“On this day, there is no protocol, no deputy governor, no driver. All of us celebrate together, it is a way of bonding and relaxing and seeing ourselves as a family, we do it every year.
“This year’s edition is being done today because of the tragedy that struck Koko as a result of the tanker explosion that led to the loss of lives. So, we cannot be celebrating while the nation is mourning, so we have to shift it.
“In the coming week, we will celebrate two of our drivers that we have been able to get accommodation for. It is my tradition, which I have been doing since when I was in the House of Assembly.
“The two most senior drivers have benefited from this, and it is my own way of appreciating them and being part of their growth. A man you are able to build a house for, one has been able to help him out of one of the major challenges of life, which is accommodation.”
