By Priscillia Eke
Ebonyi State Governor on Monday admonished the local government councils in the state not to execute the minimum wage to the detriment of their other responsibilities.
He noted that allocations states receive fluctuates and warned of the need for proper understanding between Labour and government, adding that the multiple statistics of local government workers had also worsened their case.
He gave the directive on Monday, October 7, at the Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Abakaliki, during the swearing-in of 14 additional permanent secretaries recently confirmed by his administration.
Umahi also warned them not to be tempted in using more than 60 per cent of their allocation for civil servant salary alone, noting that once they start paying it will continue even when the allocation is not steady.
He directed that the chairmen should start by paying the least paid worker 30,000, adding that before they commence with the payment they should first set a committee to look into payment.
In his word: “We have asked the committee on minimum wage to come up with something to us.
“I want the commissioner for Local Government and his permanent secretary to listen very well.
“The chain is as weak as the weakest link.
“The weakest link is the local government.
“The multiplicity of staff is a very big challenge to the local government.
“So we will start by placing N30,000 for the least paid worker in the local government.
“It is important that you call Labour and sit down with them, and do not expect that you will use more than sixty percent of your allocations to pay civil servants and overheads.
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“You must resist the temptation of using everything you have to pay Labour.
“The reason is that you don’t know how the economy is behaving.
“Last month we got N800 million; less than what we got the previous month.
“And once you start paying, you must continue to pay whether the thing is going up or down.
“It’s important you do your own homework first… “
Umahi also ordered all state ministries in State still scattered around the capital city an ultimatum to move before the end of the month into the new state secretariat popularly known as a centenary city.
According to Governor Umahi, the movement to the secretariat become necessary in order to put the place to effective use as well as facilitate the development of additional state of the art facilities intended for the wellbeing of workers.
Addressing the newly sworn-in permanent Secretary, the governor directed them to redouble their efforts in achieving excellence in service, also asked them to articulate their challenges, proffer solutions as well as develop a blueprint for action in their various ministries and submit to the State Executive Council.
Umahi stressed: “I have told the Head of Service, within this month, all civil servants and the ministries must move to the Centenary City: Ministry of Works, Infrastructure Development, Water, Finance, whatever and whatever”.
Among those sworn in as substantial permanent secretaries were the State Accountant General, Mrs Christiana Okwuta, Dr. Chris Achi of the Ministry of Health and Mrs Patricia Okiri of Budget, planning and Research.
Meanwhile the governor also swore-in his recently sacked Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor, whom he has now reappointed as his Special Assistant on Fruits and Food Market Development. ENDS
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