Nigeria’s State Governor declares N150,000 Christmas bonus for each civil servant
*After workers' union threatened shutdown over non-implementation of new minimum wage
The Ebonyi State Government has announced a bumper Christmas package of N150,000 for every worker of the state.
This is even as the State Authorities and Organized Labour are still locked in disagreements arising from the implementation of the 70,000 new minimum wage.
The State workforce had, penultimate week, declared a week long warning strike to press home their demands for a clearer and generally acceptable computation of the consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage .
The industrial action was sequel to the listing of Ebonyi, among 13 others by the national leadership of the Organized Labour as states still in default of the implementation of the new minimum wage.
An embittered Governor Francis Nwifuru had however threatened to relieve the striking workers of their appointments should they not return to their duty posts within 72 hours.
His threat instantly drew the ire of the National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, who described the Governor’s choice of threat, ahead of negotiation with the aggrieved civil servants, as a monumental act of irresponsibility and unreasonableness.
The workers nevertheless fully observed the seven days warning strike.
But announcing the Christmas bonus on Friday ,December 13, 2024, Governor Nwifuru, informed that the package is in appreciation of the workers commitment to duty, as well as their display of understanding during the just concluded warning strike.
A statement issued on Friday, by the Governor’s media aide Monday Uzor, said that a directive has been given for the workers to be paid the Christmas package on, or before the close of work on Tuesday December 17, 2024 .
“Our workers have shown a lot of commitments and respect to us as a Government.
“During the strike action, they heeded our appeal because they understood the situation of things and we were most grateful and ready to always dialogue on how to improve their welfare”, the statement said.
