Emegha, in a press statement made available to journalists yesterday in Abakaliki, however, advised the Ebonyi workforce not to allow themselves to be deceived by the few disgruntled politicians in the state.
He noted that the state Governor, Chief Francis Nwifuru since he assumed office, has been prioritizing the workers' welfare and further urged the state workers to shun completely any form of strike action by returning to their duty posts.
"In all honesty, the recent and aborted industrial action embarked upon by Ebonyi State civil servants does not only reflect their weaknesses and ability to retrace their steps on the instruction of the leader of the state and Governor, Rt Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru but it also raised a significant concern bordering on who played the drum.
"In as much as their recent action despite the commendable efforts of the Governor, towards increasing their take home apart from other incentives remains unwarranted and odious, I wish to ask them whether "they were more comfortable with the era of executive rascality, impunity, and abandonment?.
"To say that civil servants in Ebonyi State could contemplate embarking on strike just because some of their leaders succumbed to the undue pressure from greedy, malicious and uncircumcised politicians is difficult to comprehend because Governor Nwifuru has done exceptionally well in changing their narrative through several means.
"Firstly, the Governor increased their salaries by 20% and awarded one hundred thousand Naira as a Christmas bonus last year to each of them, among other incentives. He was the first person under the present democratic dispensation to increase workers' take-homes even before the negotiation of the new national minimum wage of 70,000 Naira. He not only gave his consent to it, but he increased it to 75 Naira.
"Apart from these interventions aimed at cushioning the effect of an economic downturn in the country, the civil servants also benefit from numerous government empowerment programs.
"Recall also that His Excellency, the Governor voluntarily, on assumption of office, paid the gratuities arrears of all the state retired civil servants from 1996 to 2023 and is currently working assiduously hard to ensure that local government workers get theirs soon.
"Although it is heartwarming that they have come with the directive of the Governor and have since returned to their various duty posts which is a sign of gratitude to the numerous incentives they are enjoying presently in the state, they should not allow a few disgruntled politicians whose relevance have since died a natural death to hoodwink or manipulate them into carrying out their mischievous and spiteful plans against their wishes and the state government.
"Through words and actions, the Governor has reiterated that the civil service is the engine room of government and would not relent in charting a cause that will improve the well-being of the state workforce. This is also contained in his People’s Charter of Needs Agenda, the compass of the administration.
"Therefore, I wish to admonish workers to always employ dialogue in ironing out issues of interest rather than applying archaic and immature measures to frustrate the state government and make a mockery of themselves under a system in which their welfare is in the first line of charge.
"Similarly, I wish to appreciate and, in the same breath, commend my Boss and Governor, Rt Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, for always taking a firm and proactive posture in addressing headlong matters of importance to the state and her good people," the APC boss said.
