Enugu State Government has appealed to workers of federal establishments in the state to shun non-existent Mondays sit-at- home and come to work, to enable the state grow it’s economy; just as federal workers applaud Governor Peter Mbah for improving security in the state.
The Principal Secretary to the Governor, Ken Chukwuegbo and the Head of Civil Service Commission, Enugu State, Kenneth Ugwu, made the appeal ,Monday, when they visited the Federal Secretariat, Enugu to ascertain the level of compliance of the federal workers on the end- Monday -sit- at – home directive of the state government.
The Inspection team who went round different offices at the Secretariat, met some doors under lock and keys and some opened with few staff, frowned at the development .
Speaking with some of the workers met on grounds, the Principal Secretary to the Governor, Ken Chukwuegbo, said “Monday is a very special day of the week , so, people don’t sit down without coming to render services to our people.”
Pix- Principal Secretary,Chukwuegbo( L) Head of Service,Ugwu( R)
Chukwuegbo who was visible disappointed, said the state Government had provided security at the federal secretariat and had also improved the security apparatus in the state.He said, “How do we grow our economy? It is not good. They are the people giving bad name to the state Government. We gave vehicle to Heads of federal establishments. We met with them more than four times, yet they don’t come to work on Mondays”, he said.
The team visited the Chairman, Heads of Federal Establishments, Emeka Nwokoro, to know why most workers did not cone to work . He appealed to him to talk to his members so that they will start coming to work on Mondays.
He said,” Enugu is no longer under siege. If the state workers were going to work I don’t see why Federal workers should not go to work on Mondays”. He appealed to the chairman to keep talking to his members.
Pix- Federal Secretariat,Enugu
Adding his voice, the Head of Service, Kenneth Ugwu urged Nwokoro to keep talking to workers to come to work on Monday, saying, “it is a work in progress. Keep talking “.
Responding, the chairman told the inspection team that some federal workers do not come to work on Mondays because of fear of insecurity. He said during their last meeting on 25 July ,2024, he told them that security had improved and they should be going to work on Monday
“The Government of Enugu state is trying. Security had improved. There is Distress Response Squad (DRS) in the office for us. “, he said.
Speaking on the offices that were under lock and keys at the Secretariat, Nwokoro said,” it is not all the offices that are not occupied.I do know some offices were occupied and some which had left to another location want to come back. The Secretariat cannot accommodate all the federal agencies in the state”.
Another federal worker, Bonaventure Ngwu, commended Enugu state Government for improving the security in the state. He said, ” Before, this place used to be like a ghost office but with the state government ‘s appeal and efforts, security has been restored.” He appealed to workers to start coming to work on Monday as the State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah had put an end to illegal sit-at-home .