Christopher Isiguzo
28 August 2007
Abakaliki — Stakeholders in Ebonyi State, have appealed to governmant workers to suspend their industrial action in protest of government's refusal to pay their full monetised salary for July, which entered its 10th day yesterday.
The situation has paralyzed business activities in major towns, including Abakaliki, Afikpo, Onueke and Ezza-Mgbo. THISDAY reports that this is the second time the workers would be embarking on indefinite strike action since May 29, when Governor Martin Elechi took over.
When THISDAY visited most government ministries and parastatals, they were under lock and key, nobody was sighted within the offices, unlike in the past when top officials would offer skeletal services.
A youth group in the state, Ebonyi Youth Assembly (EYA), last weekend, cautioned against what they called stiff position of the workers on the new salary regime.
President of EYA, Mr Chinedu Ugah, who spoke to newsmen urged workers to allow government to study financial status of the state.
They warned opposition against using the disagreement to blackmail government, but team up with government to find lasting solution to the impasse.
Meanwhile, a Government House source said Elechi is insisting on going ahead with the old salary structure, as a result of the state's lean resources. "The governor is making it clear that he has come to serve all and as such, must execute some meaningful projects. If he continues to pay this monetisation thing, it means nothing else would be achieved," the source said.
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