Gov Ugwuanyi approves 13th month salary for workers as Christmas bonus

Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on Tuesday approved the payment of 13th month salary for civil servants in the state as an added boost to celebrate the forthcoming Christmas.

The governor gave the approval after a meeting between the leadership of the Organized Labour in the state and the State Executive Council (EXCO), at the Government House, Enugu.

Reacting to the development, the state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Virginus Nwobodo, stated that the gesture was unprecedented in the history of the state, considering the nation’s economic downturn that has made it impossible for many states to pay workers’ salaries.

Nwobodo commended Governor Ugwuanyi for the offer, which he said was a surprise package borne out of his magnanimity and an incentive to the workers to motivate them 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), Comrade Igbokwe Chukwuma Igbokwe, who appreciated the state government’s gesture, noted that the beauty of the offer is that the workers never asked or agitated for it.

He said, “It was freely given to us and because of that, it is another milestone in this administration of Governor Ifeanyi 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 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 added.

Moses Oyediran, Enugu