Umahi Increases Ebonyi Workers' Salaries By 5%, Pardons 32 Prisoners (Pics)

Ebonyi State Governor, Engr. David Umahi, has announced the increase  of workers salary in the state.   Umahi  announce...

Ebonyi State Governor, Engr. David Umahi, has announced the increase  of workers salary in the state.  

Umahi  announced  the good news during this year's 56th independence day celebration and Ebonyi at 20 held at the Abakaliki Township Stadium on Saturday.

Umahi, who also pardoned 32 prisoners  and commuted the death sentence of 14 others to life imprisonment,  was full of praises for  the founding fathers of the state.

He thanked the former governor of the  state, Dr. Sam Egwu, for mediating during the government-Labour dispute in the state  last year and  also hailed the  Nigeria Labour Congress for its  show of understanding .

Umahi said, "We have been very much disturbed about the plight of our dear workers. We were disturbed that our workers were not with us as we want them to be with us, and we understood them. They need an increment in their salaries.

“ Let me use the opportunity to thank Dr. Sam Egwu who mediated on this before now.  The  NLC even  suspected him that he was siding us. But I continue to say his action  was born out of the experience of his former office.

"Let me thank the labour leaders for your commitment and for your understanding. You were pushing me because, you didn't want workers to suspect you. Thank you for the wisdom you deployed in arriving at what we have today. And so let me announce on behalf of government of Ebonyi State, that effective from October 1st, we  increase the salaries of Ebonyi workers by five per cent."

The governor also said he would  ensure the immediate release of workers promotion, assuring  that the gratuities  and arrears of all retired civil servants and public office holders are paid sooner.

He  explained that the pardon and commuttal of the sentences of some prisoners in the state are  in pursuance of section 212 of the 1999 constitution which  gave him power to do so.

In a remark, the chairman of the occasion, Most Rev. Christopher Edeh, noted  that the independence of Nigeria at 56  was being marked a time of  setbacks and security challenges.

He urged the governor to put more effort in ensuring that the state is developed and the increasing poverty among the rich and the poor in  the state is  reduced.