Ben Ezechime, Enugu
Civil servants in Enugu State on Monday made a cynical demand of increase in minimum wage to cushion the effect of current hardship occasioned by the fuel subsidy removal by the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Governor Peter Mbah had on Monday morning visited the workers at the State Secretariat Enugu on a fact finding mission following a circular mandating all Heads of MDAs to open attendance register for all categories of workers on Mondays.
In the circular signed by the state Head of Service, Mr Ken Ugwu, Mbah threatened to surcharge any absentee worker.
During the fact finding visit, the governor acknowledge the large turnout of workers and stressed that with their cooperation sit-at-home was over in the state.
“We cannot continue to take directives from persons sitting in the comfort of their houses in Europe.
“We cannot grow our economy by sitting at home,” he said.
Mbah promised to provide water and light at the Secretariat on or before Friday this week.
However, no sooner than the governor left than the workers started shouting “minimum wage, minimum wage, minimum wage’ apparently to draw his attention to their plight.
Meanwhile, apart from workers that reported to work today, there was improved movement of people in the city unlike in previous Mondays.
But major markets in the city have remained closed while a few hawkers were seen around displaying their items by the road side.
