The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Dr Anthony Agbazuere gave the cheering news when he received in audience, a delegation of NULGE Executives at Government House Umuahia.
According to Agbazuere, “Governor Okezie Ikpeazu had long directed that there should be no discrimination in the issue of payment of minimum wage in the state and we are not going to compromise it.
“I can expressly tell you that the Governor was even surprised to hear for the first time that some workers in the state have not started benefiting from the minimum wage.
“It is the position of the governor that he is not going to superintend over a workforce where the issue of minimum wage would be accessed by a certain percentage of the workforce while the other percentage would be denied it.
“The Governor has given the instructions and we are not going to compromise it. I assured you that we will follow up on the issue to ensure Staff of Local Government within the state receive the proposed minimum wage.
The Chief of Staff to the governor, frowned at public servants in the state workforce who flout government directives and warned that such would not be tolerated henceforth.
He expressed satisfaction at the peaceful manner in which the NULGE executives presented their matter to the state government without resorting to protests as a means of expressing grievances and called on all to tow the part of dialogue.
The Chief of Staff thanked the Union for their co-operation and support to the present adminstration,urging them not to relent.
Earlier, the President and leader of the delegation, Comrade Kennedy Nwigwe said that the Union came to seek a way forward with the State government on the delayed implementation of their minimum wage and payment of their annual leave allowances from 2014 till date.
Nwigwe who decried the segregation in the payment system between the State and Local government noted that the Union was yet to be included in the plan.
He appealed to the Chief of Staff to use his good offices to ensure the lots of Local Government workers in the State is made better adding that some of the promises made to them are yet to be fulfilled.
