Ebonyi State Governor, Engr. David Umahi, has announced the increase of workers’ salary in the state.

Umahi announced the cheery news during this year’s 56^th Independence Day anniversary celebration and Ebonyi at 20 held at the Abakaliki Township Stadium on Saturday.

Umahi, who also pardoned 32 prisoners and commuted the death sentence of 14 others to life imprisonment, was full of praises for the founding fathers of the state.

He thanked a former governor of the state, Dr. Sam Egwu, for mediating during the government-Labour dispute in the state last year and also hailed the Nigeria Labour Congress for its show of understanding.

Umahi said: “We have been very much disturbed about the plight of our dear workers. We were disturbed that our workers were not with us as we want them to be with us, and we understood them. They need an increment in their salaries.

“Let me use the opportunity to thank Dr. Sam Egwu who mediated on this before now. The NLC even suspected him that he was on our side. But I continue to say his action was born out of his experience in office.

“Let me thank the labour leaders for your commitment and for your understanding. You were pushing me because you didn't want workers to suspect you. Thank you for the wisdom you deployed in arriving at what we have today. And so let me announce on behalf the government of Ebonyi State, that effective from October I, the increase in salaries of Ebonyi workers by five per cent.”

The governor also said he would ensure the immediate release of workers promotion, assuring that the gratuities and arrears of all retired civil servants and public office holders were paid soon.

He explained that the pardon and commuttal of the sentences of some prisoners in the state were in pursuance of section 212 of the 1999 Constitution which gave him power to do so.

In a remark, the chairman of the occasion, Most Rev. Christopher Edeh, noted that the independence of Nigeria at 56 was being marked at a time of setbacks and security challenges.

He urged the governor to put more efforts in ensuring that the state was developed and the increasing poverty among the rich and the poor in the state was reduced.

•Photo shows Governor Umahi.

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