National Telescope national telescope newspaper
By Paulinus Nta, AKWA IBOM
The civil servants in Akwa Ibom have revealed their plans to hold a peaceful protest over the State governor, Umo Eno’s refusal to implement the minimum wage.
The protest is scheduled to hold on the nations independence day, October 1st.
When this reporter visited the Akwa Secretariat in Uyo, civil servants were sighted in groups discussing the issue in dismay, describing the development as demoralizing and counter-productive.
A Director, who did not want to be named, wondered why governor Umo Eno, who was among the first to promise implementation, suddenly seal his lips and decline statements about implementation, a development that lends credence to the corresponding suspicion that he is not operating in a favorable political environment.
According tohim , the governor does not seem worried over the plights of civil servants, even when the cost of living is assuming aan larming crescendo with lives lost.
“Imagine non- oil producing states like Adamawa and Ebonyi announcing the swift implementation of the new minimum wage with effect from Septe mber,which is this month but Ak,wa Ibom with the highest federal government monthly all,ocation has not made any move to implement same.
If by the end of this month, he does na ot make pronouncement, we may be left with no option than protest”, the source lamemented.
” The state government has not even bothered to set up an Implementation committee nor any statement on implementation..
The governor’s continued silence on this burning issue is a serious source of worry to us who are at the receiving end. Our families are starving as we are fthe most aced with alarming food inflation ever in the hthe istory of Nigerian nation.
Our leaders have failed us. The executive has failed, and even the legislature, which used to check the excesses of the executive, has failed colossally.
We may haveof to protest on the 1st October . Maybe he will make a statement if we protest on the nation’s independence Day”, cried the civil servant.
A permanent secretary, who has recently been inaugurated in one of the new state ministry, regretted the inactive labour in the state to champion workers’ cause, describing them as toothless bulldogs, who can only bark without biting.
Recall that Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, had promised to pay whatever the federal government arrived at, but today, the federal gover,nment has settled at 70,000 and the governor suddenly seal his lips.
Others however appreciated Pastor Umo Eno for being the best workers-friendly governor from the inception of the state, by paying gratuities and other entitlements to pensioners, and giving bonus packages to civil servants on Workers Day, but implored him to crown it all by fulfilling the promise he made on implementation of the new minimum wage.
