GOVERNOR DAVID UMAHI PLEDGES TO PAY GRATUITIES OF RETIRED CIVIL SERVANTS

~ Restates Commitment To Complete All Ongoing Projects

The Governor of Ebonyi State, Engineer David Umahi says his administration would embark on payment of gratuity to retired workers between 2015 to date in the 2022 fiscal year.

Governor Umahi stated this during a citizen’s input/ consultations into the 2022 budget at Christian Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki on Friday.

The Governor explained that the citizens’ input was convened to integrate the opinion of Ebonyi people into the prospective 2022 appropriation bill for optimum budget performance.

“The budget of 2022 will be tagged the budget of Later rain. We are projecting Recurrent expenditure to be around 33% and capital to be around 67%, that is one to two and if you understand economic indices, that is the Budget for growth of the State.”

Governor Umahi while announcing the full activation of Local Government, Judiciary, and Legislative autonomy in the State, said hence the State in 2022 would embark on payment of gratuity to workers who retired between 2015 till date.

He said his administration within the 2022 fiscal year would employ 5000 Ebonyians into the State Civil Service and provide empowerment for 3000 others as a way of strengthening the capacity of Citizens.

The Governor also announced strategies to block revenue leakages in Internally Generated Revenue collection to mop up more funds for accelerated development of the State.

“In 2022, we are going to be pursuing a lot of stoppage of leakages. We have a lot of multiple taxations in the State but over 80% of this taxation does not go into the treasury of the State. People connive with criminals to set up revenue collections into their pockets and that has dwindled the revenue that would have come into the revenue of the State for the better development of the State. We are going to come up with a more sophisticated strategy to see how we are going to get more revenue into our coffers for the benefit of our State and our children.”

He announced that all is now set for the smooth take-off at the King David University of Medical Sciences Uburu. The University of Aeronautic Engineering and the University of ICT and Science and Technology will equally commence within the next year.

The Governor also announced plans to intensify dualization of the Abakaliki to Afikpo and Abakaliki to Enugu Highways as well as construct at least five kilometers of road in each of the 13 Local Government Areas of the State.

He announced plans to strengthen the State’s security apparatus through the installation of CCTV cameras in strategic locations in the State.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Orlando Nweze said the 2021 Budget performance between January and September was rated highly, earning the status as the best in Infrastructure Development and investment in the Federation.

He expressed hope that the performance of the 2022 budget would outweigh that of the outgoing year.

Participants at the Citizens’ input spoke in one voice in urging the State Government to utilize the State’s fixed assets in Enugu, Abia, Lagos, and Abuja through Public-Private Partnership for the economic development of the State.

The Nigeria Labour Congress and other affiliate unions as well as Civil Society Organizations witnessed the Citizens’ input exercise.

Francis Nwaze

Special Assistant to the Governor