The governor of Ebonyi state, Governor Francis Nwifuru, has continued with the spate of suspensions with the recent announcement of the suspension of another commissioner, Uchenna Igwe, over alleged gross misconduct and dereliction of duty.
This makes it a total of four commissioners suspended recently.
This was revealed by Governor Nwifuru during a press briefing at his office, New Government, Ochudo Centenary City, in the state capital of Abakaliki
On Monday, Igwe, the commissioner for chieftaincy and local government affairs, was placed on indefinite leave with immediate effect.
According to information obtained, the commissioner did not successfully complete a task assigned to him by the governor regarding matters pertaining to the state council chairman’s payment of local government pensions. Governor Nwifuru suspended him indefinitely at the end of last month.
His administration is dedicated to “meeting people’s charter of needs,” he said, adding that commissioners for housing and urban development, water resources, and health were suspended for three months for serious misbehaviour and neglect of duty.
In a similar vein, the governor has also threatened to sack striking workers within 72 hours. He said any worker who fails to resume work on Tuesday will be replaced within 72 hours.
He emphasized that there’s no reason for workers in the state to embark on any strike, noting that his administration is committed to workers’ welfare.
He stressed that there is no justification for state employees to go on strike, pointing out that his administration is dedicated to the care of its workforce. According to him, the state government has begun enforcing the new minimum wage established by the National Assembly Act.
“The Ebonyi state government is not owing any worker in the state, both pension, gratuity, and salary, and we are paying the minimum wage as enshrined in the Act of the National Assembly.
“Ebonyi workers are enjoying their promotion accordingly. My worry is why should our state join in a strike action when there is no reason for it?”
According to Governor Nwifuru, the state government will not hesitate to replace striking workers, as he has directed all the relevant government officials to ensure they take attendance of those who reported to work and those who are absent starting from today.
“If any government staff didn’t go to work within the next 72 hours, not just that I won’t pay you, but I will go ahead to replace the staff. If I didn’t see you in the office, as far as I am not guilty and am not owing you, I am paying you what you are supposed to be paid according to our agreement, and if you refuse to go to work, within 72 hours, I will replace you.
“I have informed the chairman of the Civil Service Commission. I have directed all the commissioners, all the agencies, and departments of government to be in their different offices and ensure they take records of the staff that comes to work, and those are the people that will be paid through table payment.
“The staff will be paid by the number of days that they came to work. If any staff decide not to come to work, let the person forget about the Ebonyi State Government”.
The governor also expressed regrets over the purported letter written to him by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which was posted on social media platforms, adding that he was yet to receive the letter before it went viral.
He insisted that he will not negotiate with the NLC chairman in the state as he is not a staff member of the state government.
“Ebonyi State will not fold its hands and watch someone’s personal interest override the state interest. I advised the NLC Chairman in the state to invite the whole workforce of the state to come to the stadium and discuss the minimum wage issue to know if we were wrong or if the labour unions are the people that are wrong.
“I met with the NLC Chairman alongside others 3 days ago, and we discussed this issue. He insisted that the committee was supposed to sign an agreement with me, but I said no, that the minimum wage is an act of the National Assembly, which doesn’t require me to start signing any other agreement with the NLC and Committee in the state.”
Nwifuru maintained that the state government implemented the minimum wage in line with the provisions of the law, adding that the letter of the NLC fails to address the discrepancies as alleged in their letter.
He warned members of the labour union against taking their personal interest as the general interest of the workers in the state, adding that, by doing that, they will be breeding what they cannot take.
