Enugu State Executive Council (EXCO), yesterday approved 13th month salary for civil servants in the state as a boost to celebrate the forthcoming Christmas.
The gesture was in keeping with the commitment of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration to the welfare of workers.
The approval was the outcome of the meeting between the leadership of the organised labour in the state and the council, held at the Government House, Enugu.
Reacting to the development, the state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Virginus Nwobodo, said the gesture was unprecedented in the history of the state, considering the nation’s economic downturn whichhas made it impossible for many states to pay workers’ salaries.
Nwobodo commended Governor Ugwuanyi for the gesture, which he said was a surprise package borne out of his magnanimity. He said the incentive will motivate the workers to discharge their duties efficiently. The labour leader urged the state workers to reciprocate the gesture by putting in their best to increase productivity.
Also speaking, the state Chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Igbokwe Chukwuma Igbokwe, who equally appreciated the state government’s gesture, noted that the beauty of the offer is that the workers never asked or agitated for it.
“It was freely given to us and because of that, it is another milestone in this administration of Governor Ugwuanyi, who is always passionate about workers’ welfare.”
Igbokwe, who stated that the workers are part of the Enugu project, maintained that the leadership of the union and the workers will continue to appreciate the gesture and reciprocate same by discharging their responsibilities for the growth and development of the state.
“We use this opportunity to commend His Excellency for his kind gesture and to continue to say that as Oliver Twist, good things will continue to come. Our prayer is that the state will continue to improve and increase its revenue so that more things will come the way of the workers,” Igbokwe said.