Gov. Rochas Okorocha
We had earlier reported
that while briefing journalists on the state of affairs in Imo State at
his residence in Owerri over the past weekend, Governor Owelle Rochas
Okorocha had said he is considering reducing the number of work days in
the state from five to three, to enable the government cut salaries.
In an official statement signed and released today by the state
governor’s Chief Press secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, the Imo state
government has officially reduced the working days of some civil
servants in the state, as workers are now to work for three days in a
week, while they can spend the remaining two days on their farms.
According to DailyPost, the state government introduced a policy tagged: “Back to Land for Agriculture”,
which is meant to enable the state workers engage and invest in
agriculture for self-sustenance, and assured the workers that the new
policy will not affect the salaries of workers.
The directive takes effect from Monday August 1, 2016.
The statement reads;
“Against the backdrop of the “Back to Land for Agriculture”
Programme, the governor directed that public servants in the state would
now work from Mondays to Wednesdays, and use Thursdays and Fridays for
agriculture (farming) while Saturdays can be used for ceremonies. And
the directive takes effect from Monday August 1, 2016.
“However, the governor exempted public servants on essential
duties like the teachers, nurses, doctors and people involved in
Internally Generated Revenue drive. Political appointees are also
exempted from the three-days working periods.
“We shall try this programme for the period of one year,
starting from 1st of August 2016 and hopefully this will help. Let me
make this emphasis before it is misconstrued or misrepresented, that
this does not in any way affect the salaries of the workers.
“Workers will get their full salaries as been the practice. So
the policy does not mean that there will be a cut in salary rather let
us now find a way for our workers to supplement their salaries”.
“For this reason the issue of annual leave and casual leave is
hereby cancelled. Resumption time for work has changed from 8am to
7.30am in the morning and ends by 4pm. Any worker that is not found on
his or her seat between7.30am and 4pm on the days concerned will be
summarily dismissed.
“Everybody must go back to agriculture. Every political
appointee must own a farm. The youths would also be encouraged to take
to agriculture. Schools including Universities, Polytechnics and
Secondary schools in the state must own farms. The Community Government
Council (CGC) must be strengthened for the sake of this agricultural
programme.
“Two billion naira (N2b) has been set aside at the
micro-finance bank for the purpose of this Back To Land For Agriculture
policy so that those willing can access it. And time is gone again when
politicians and some Imolites will come to government in the pretence of
farming and collect loans and use it to buy cars and marry new wives.
“Again, the June and July Salaries would be paid this week. We
are making sure that our workers are comfortable and our pensioners are
happy because this is one area the whole nation is having a serious
challenge.
“Our problem is not being unable to pay salaries but paying
over-bloated salaries. We are also making effort to pay our pensioners
once the harmonization is over.
“I also want to announce that government has appealed to
families and those who organize burials on Mondays to Wednesdays to
please change and have their burials on Saturdays so that we can
concentrate on the government’s work and on the agricultural programme.
“Everything that has to do with agriculture no matter what
shape it comes, government will support it. So many countries are going
through economic crisis because of the fall in oil.
“Our nation is also going through very difficult moment. We
have taken responsibility as leaders and we are not blaming anyone. Wise
nations and leaders save for the rainy days.
“There were periods the oil price was in our favour. But those
in charge then blew the money. They made no savings. Today the oil price
globally has crashed and here we are. And we must fall back to
agriculture as the panacea.”
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