Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has approved a N150,000 Christmas bonus for every civil servant in the state.
The governor said the gesture aligns with his administration’s commitment to improving the welfare of workers, despite dwindling revenue accruing to the state over the past year.
Nwifuru disclosed this on Sunday during a church service at the Government House Chapel, Abakaliki.
Speaking on the forthcoming local government elections in the state, the governor clarified that he has not anointed any candidate, assuring a level playing field for all aspirants.
“As far as I am concerned, the will of the people must prevail. The people must choose their representatives without interference from any quarter,” he said.
He also reiterated his directive that political appointees intending to contest the local government elections must resign their appointments in line with electoral guidelines.
“It is not my duty to pick you as chairman of your local government area. If you are contesting for the chairmanship position in next year’s council elections as an appointee, you must resign, as stipulated by law,” the governor stated.
Governor Nwifuru further dispelled rumours of alleged inactivity at the Vincent Agwu Nwankwo Flyover (VANCO), describing the project as a monumental infrastructural landmark of his administration.
“You cannot find any state in Nigeria currently undertaking such a flyover,” he said, explaining the technical rigours involved in the massive project, which he noted would significantly improve the state’s outlook upon completion.
He criticised what he described as misleading narratives by “social media contractors,” insisting that the administration is deliberately taking steps to position Ebonyi State among states with modern and advanced infrastructure.
“We are doing it not because we have money, but because we want to leave our signature in the annals of history,” he said.
The governor added that Ebonyi State aspires to be recognised on the global map of good governance, driven by the provision of modern infrastructure.
