Obinna Odogwu, Abakaliki
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi has told his appointees that the door was open for them to quit instead of grumbling and castigating him.
Umahi, stated this, yesterday, in Abakaliki while distributing 68 vehicles (SUVs) to some appointees, among them, Senior Special Assistants (SSA) Special Assistants (SA), Permanent Secretaries and members of the state House of Assembly.
The governor said it was baffling to see appointees grumbling amid the salaries they were being paid and new vehicles given to them.
Umahi who said the government was “watching such persons with one eye” stressed the vehicles belongs to the government in spite of being used by appointees.
“The vehicles are 99.9 per cent owned by government and 0.1 percent by the appointees and if you are leaving government, you will give us the vehicles.
“Everybody here, including myself is privileged and we are not better than those not in this position. Nobody should take him or herself as a superstar as you cannot be in the system and still be castigating it.
“Those who know what they are doing don’t have time to grumble, but they invent things, but when you have nothing to offer, you gossip and complain to cover things,” said Umahi.
Umahi said appointees’ transportation allowances were embedded in their consolidated emoluments as the vehicles were meant to assist them perform optimally in their various duties.
“The old appointees will not get new vehicles but car loans which is optional and this is because the poverty in the land is much.
“I cannot be giving new vehicles every four years, our people are suffering and need our attention as their population gives us the little we have,” he said.
The governor also disclosed that plans were underway for the commencement of the review of workers’ salaries, but declined to give further details about the nature of the review.
“It’s quite very tight; we are going into the review of workers salary which is must, it is a commitment,” he said.