Workers Day: Nwifuru gives N10,000 additional salary bonus to workers
Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has announced an additional salary bonus of N10,000 to workers in the state payroll.
The Governor made the pronouncement as part of his address to workers at the 2024 Workers Day Celebration.
The event was held Wednesday at the Ngele Oruta Township stadium, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital.
Recall that the Governor had at the inception of his administration, awarded a N10,000 salary bonus to the workers. That, in addition to this would amount to N20,000 additional pay package from the Governor to the state workers.
Nwifuru further gave approval for the release of list of the newly recruited 1, 700 workers into the state civil service.
The Governor, in response to the appeal by the organized Labour, also approved the recruitment of 1000 teachers to boost teaching and learning in public secondary schools in the state while the state government continues with its plan to build 39 special secondary schools across the State.
Governor Nwifuru further agreed to boost the subvention of the State College of Education to make it more functional in meeting the middle class manpower needs of the state.
On the reinstatement of some workers suspended indefinitely by immediate past administration in the state from Ebonyi State University over active role in union activities, Governor Nwifuru maintained that no Governor, including himself has the right to interfere with the day to day administration of the university.
He however, enjoined those involved to write the university management over the matter and extend a copy to him for follow-up.
Earlier in a joint address by the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, the workers appealed to the Governor to recall some staff of Ebonyi State University suspended by previous administration over active involvement in union activities.
The organized labour further appealed to the Governor to engage more teachers in public primary and secondary schools in the state, fully implement judicial autonomy and reinvigorate the gradually dying State College of Education through increased subvention.
The address presented by the state NLC chairman, Professor Ogugua Egwu, also called for the reabsorption of some staff of the former Ebonyi State University teaching hospital dropped during the merger exercise some years ago with the Federal Medical Centre to birth the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital.
The organized labour in the state appreciated the Governor for his friendly disposition towards workers, and enumerated some of the Governor’s magnanimity to include N10,000 wage award to workers, clearing backlog of retirees’ gratuities from 1996-2021, increasing subvention to Ebonyi State University from N150 million to N280 million and the payment of full 5% health insurance premium for all workers in the State, among others.
The Governor also received the commendation of workers for revamping the 14 general hospitals through employment of health professionals and equipment as well as N100,000 Christmas bonus granted to each civil servant in December 2023.
Meanwhile, some civil servants who spoke on condition of anonymity expressed disappointment with the outcome of the celebration.
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The workers, speaking to newsmen, said they had expected a much more concrete welfare package from the federal to the state government, adding that the failure of the government to reach a conclusion with Labour on the new minimum wage was highly discouraging.
Others thanked the Governor for the additional N10,000 salary bonus, but observed that its effect on the welfare of the workers was quite marginal going by the economic situation in the country.
