FIC Report (Abia State) – Less than two months before the expiration of his administration, the Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has directed the payment of leave allowances owed Abia civil servants to commence within the next 7 days.
Governor Ikpeazu gave the directive during a town hall meeting with Abia Civil Servants at the Ochendo International Conference Center (ICC ), Umuahia, also announced one grade level command promotion for all Abia civil servants.
The announcement is coming barely 24 hours after the Governor announced the resolve of the state government to grant one grade level promotion to all Local Government(LG) workers in the state at a meeting he held with members of National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).
The Governor appealed to Abia Workers to vote for the State PDP Governorship Candidate, Chief Okey Ahiwe for the continuation of progressive governance as well as to ensure seamless implementation of the directives.
Ikpeazu recalled that he has a robust working relationship with the Abia workforce since the inception of his administration in 2015, attributed the successes recorded by government to the doggedness, support and commitment of the Abia workforce.
He noted that Abia government under his watch has remained focused in evolving progressive programmes and policies for the betterment of workers adding that retrenchment of civil servants is not an option for him.
“Nigeria under the period within review between 2015 and now, has gone through three recessions and within these period affected our inflow from the federation account which made it almost impossible for government to pay the wage bill of workers and service other critical sectors of government like security.
“I did not contemplate downsizing of civil servants because I realized that each civil servant in Abia State Workforce represents at least 10 persons in their families who are dependent on them.
“That is why for me and for everything i represent, i do not contemplate downsizing of civil servants
as it is not an option for me. When you retrench a worker, you have taken away bread from the table of at least 10 persons”, he said.
While noting that government is a continum, Governor Ikpeazu urged the workers to vote for Chief Okey Ahiwe so as to enable him implement and complete projects initiated by his administration adding that workers cannot afford to put their future on the line.
According to Governor Ikpeazu, the PDP Governorship candidate will do better than him, assuring that the welfare of civil servants in the state would be taken care of by Ahiwe, if he emerges governor.
Also, speaking, the PDP Governorship Candidate, Chief Okey Ahiwe promised to strengthen the state government programmes by ensuring that salaries and allowances would be paid promptly, pointing out that he would serve diligently as Governor just as he had done as Chief of Staff, if elected.
He said that he would leverage on the achievements of the incumbent governor and take the state to the next level of development.
Responding on behalf of the civil servants, the Head of Service, Sir Onyii Wamah , thanked the state government for the promotion granted workers in addition to assurances of payment of leave allowances and added that this would boost their productivity.
Wamah, promised that the Abia workforce would continue to support the government’s efforts in achieving development in the state.
