…Judiciary workers endorse gov for second term

Pensioners in Enugu State councils, some of whom retired 15 years ago but have just been paid their gratuities, have described Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as a God-sent leader .

“Since this governor has remembered us, those who governments forgot for more than 10 years, God will not forget him, he will live long, and he will win election many, many times,” declared one of the pensioners, Elder Ishiwu Romanus Ezeugwu, at Ogbede, headquarters of Igbo-Etiti council, yesterday, after collecting a cheque, in lieu of his gratuity.

The elder statesman, along with other pensioners, are beneficiaries of the on-going payment of outstanding salaries, pensions and gratuities owed local government workers and pensioners alike by a committee set up by  Enugu state government.

The retirees, who left service between 2002 and 2005 were elated because since  they left service, the previous administrations did not pay their gratuities and pensions until Ugwuanyi’s administration started the exercise, which is ongoing.

Committee chairman and permanent secretary in the state Ministry of Finance, Dr. Ben Ezema told newsmen that at one of the designated venues for payment, at Ezeagu local government headquarters, 700 pensioners, who had waited in vain, in the past decade, have eventually collected their gratuities.

At Igbo-Eze South local government area, 500 pensioners were paid while at Nkanu East council, the permanent secretary disclosed that 400 retirees were paid their gratuities. The exercise continues today at Isi-Uzo council headquarters, Ikem. A female pensioner, Mrs. Gladys Okonkwo, who retired in 2002 but has now been paid her gratuities, said:  “We have never seen any governor like this. We pray that God will continue to protect him and guide him to continue to help the less-privileged.”

In the same vein, Messrs  linus Ozongwu, Valentine Offor and Paul Okechukwu, who, like Mrs. Okonkwo were paid at Ezeagu council headquarters commended the governor and also prayed for the continued success of his administration.

Reliving his experience since retirement in over 10 years ago,  Elder Ishiwu said: “I retired as a hall supervisor on grade level seven. I am over 70 years now. I retired in 2005 and, since then, I have not received my gratuity until today, when this governor helped us.”

Just as Odenyi Odo and Frederick Odo, pensioners who were also paid their gratuities at Ogbede, Elder Ishiwu, John Asadu and Obeta Cletus literally beseeched God to preserve governor Ugwuanyi whom they described as “governor for the ordinary people of Enugu state.

“Let him continue to be on the seat because he is good in  his governance of Enugu State. If I have the powers to let him go fou times, I will do that,” stated Elder Ishiwu.

The payment committee chairman explained that N3 billion has been earmarked to take care of the exercise and added that arrears of pensions and gratuities would gulp N1.9 billion while arrears of leave allowances owed local council workers across the 17 local government areas of the state would be settled with N700 million, among others.

The council workers have also been collecting their leave bonuses, along with the pensioners at the various venues.

President of Enugu state chapter of the National Union of Local Government Employees, Comrade Ken Ugwueze, told newsmen that “what is happening to local government employees in Ugwuanyi’s administration is a phenomenon in the history of local government service in the state.”

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Meanwhile, judiciary workers in the state, under the auspices of Judiciary Workers Union (JUSUN) have thrown their support behind Ugwuanyi’s re-election. They  declared that “in 2019, there is no vacancy in Lion Building, Enugu.”

State Chairman of JUSUN, Chinedu Mbah, who described the governor as “the President Delano Roosevelt of our time,” disclosed that Ugwuanyi is “the only governor of Enugu State who understands the need to create a vision, a dream, for rebuilding the workforce of the state to ensure prosperity and peace.”

He stated that “we are happy to be union leaders at this point in time

when other states are hit by crisis of poor welfare but here, we are

inundated with government’s unprecedented goodwill. We shall reward

this governor abundantly at the appropriate time”. End

The jubilant workers said the decision to endorse  Ugwuanyi for second term was due to his commitment to their welfare, such as “the prompt payment of workers’ salaries; enhancement of existing judiciary workers pay structure  and other labour-friendly policies initiated to improve working condition of an average Enugu State worker including those of us in JUSUN.”

The workers made the declaration during a solidarity visit to  Ugwuanyi at the Government House, Enugu after the union’s thank you rally in the state in appreciation of the governor’s contributions to their welfare.

The JUSUN chairman noted that the governor’s passion for workers’ welfare was in line with “the philosophy that drove President Delano Roosevelt of United States of America on June 22, 1944 to sign the Workers Readjustment Act into law.

“Your Excellency, you are the President Roosevelt of our time. You have, by prompt payment of workers’ salaries and enhancement of the existing workers pay structure which you did for judiciary workers, ensured family welfare with a human face and a milk of human kindness.

“We thank you for all you  have done for us and say that in 2019, there is no vacancy in Lion Building, Enugu. It is Gburugburu all the way,” the JUSUN chairman said.

Responding, Governor Ugwuanyi thanked the workers for their support, prayers, solidarity and appreciation of the much his administration was doing to improve their working condition with the meagre resources at its disposal because of the economic challenges in the country.

The governor told the workers to expect more from his government “now that the economy is improving,” adding that he was overwhelmed by their visit and show of love and solidarity.