Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, yesterday announced his decision to place himself on half salary as a way of identifying with the plight of workers being owed salaries in the state.
Not yet done, the Governor also gave up 50 per cent of his travel allowances, stressing that he was feeling as much pain as the workers who have endured months of unpaid salaries.
He made this known during the swearing-in of a new Head of Service, Dr Vivian Uma, where he enjoined both elected and non-elected political office holders to follow his example.
Stressing that “It is a shame we can’t pay salaries of workers who earn N50, 000 and N30,000,” he added that “God would not forgive us” for failing workers.
Workers in state parastatals, agencies as well as local governments are the hardest hit with most of them bearing the burden of unpaid salary arrears for upwards of three months.
But Ikpeazu vowed that he would do everything to ensure that salaries and allowances of workers in the state “are systematically cleared.”
While congratulating the new HoS on his appointment which he described as a milestone, the governor said he was desirous of reinvigorating the state civil service.
He specifically stated that he expected the Abia civil service to be more proactive for the challenges ahead.
Ikpeazu therefore charged the new Head of Service to look for innovative ways of doing things especially in terms of shoring up the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state.
In his acceptance speech, Dr. Vivian Uma, promised to bring positive transformation to the civil service as discipline and sound ethical conduct would be enthroned in the service for greater service delivery.
The new HoS further commended the Governor for appointing him and promised to be loyal and supportive of his administration.
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