Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah and the Commissioner of Police , Kanayo Uzuegbu have commended the State workforce for complying with the State Government ‘s directive to defy the illegal sit-at – home advise issued by Non- state actors, saying that Enugu State is open for business and “will not succumb to the old bad days”
They gave the commendation Monday, October 21, in a joint briefing after their inspection of some public and Private establishments in the state to monitor the level of workers’ compliance of the State Government ‘s directive to residents to ignore the illegal sit-at-home advise by some individuals and go about their lawful businesses.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Chidiebere Onyia, Governor Mbah said the state Government will not succumb to the advise of non state actors who only instill fear in the minds of the people .
Pix: SSG, Prof Chidiebere Onyia
He said, “Enugu is open for business and Enugu is fully engaged in assuring that private sector actors feel very comfortable coming into Enugu. So, we will not tolerate non-state actors trying to act in defiance of our clear approach to grow our economy. What is also important is that under this governor and this government, there has been no incident on any Monday from the day the governor cancelled the illegal sit-at-home.
“Because we heard the rumours of an illegal sit-at-home directive by non-state actors, the security forces and the state government decided to move around the state to ensure that people feel safe and that there is no compliance to this illegal directive.
“We went through different locations. We toured the schools, markets, financial institutions, our civil service offices, and we are satisfied with the turnout of the people. It shows that people in Enugu are clearly not aligned with that illegality. It is also a demonstration of people’s support for a government and the leadership that completely understands the value of hard work and continues to support their people by creating a sense of security for them to do their business,” Onyia said
Pix-: Prof Onyia in an interview
He assured that although Enugu had since gone past that stage, the government would ensure more security presence if only to reassure the people, stressing, however, that the government would visit sanctions on schools, markets, and institutions that defy the ban on sit-at-home.
“For those teachers and private or public schools that have decided not to show up to school today, the state government, as a policy, is to go back and ensure that those schools are sanctioned adequately. This also applies to markets, businesses, financial institutions and the rest of them. We insist on zero compliance to an illegal directive,” he stressed.
Pix: Security heads
Speaking on behalf of other security chiefs, including the Garrison Commander, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Brigadier-General Steven Dogo; and State Director of the Department of State Services, Theresa Egbunu, the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Anayo Uzuegbu maintained that sit-at-home remained an aberration in Enugu State and reiterated the determination of the security agencies and the government to deal ruthlessly with troublemakers.
“I want to let you know that in Enugu State, this idea of sit-at-home is an aberration. Enugu has outgrown all this scenerio. Enugu is not part of it and it does not exist here. So, all the propaganda and all the confusion only exist in the imagination of the peddlers.
“I went round and I am happy with the high level of compliance to the directive of the government that people should do their job and go about their businesses. It was highly phenomenal.
“People are doing their businesses. There is no lapse in security and we told them that if anybody tried to harass them or they saw something, we have a platform where they can call us.
“So, on behalf of my colleagues, I want to assure the good people of Enugu that their security is guaranteed. Any action of a person or persons to jeopardise the peace of the state will be ruthlessly dealt with. The consequences are going to be very harsh,” CP Uzuegbu stated.
Pix-: SSG ,Prof Chidiebere Onyia
The places the Governor and his entourage visited included ESUT Teaching Hospital ,Parklane, Ekulu primary school,, State Secretariat, Bank, Owo police station, Day Secondary School, Independence Layout, Enugu State Ministry of Transport and ministry of Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development.
At the ESUT Teaching hospital, ParkLane, Governor Mbah commended the workers who were on ground attending to patients.
At the state Secretariat, he also commended the workers for coming to work . He said,”. You are exemplary.You stood for quality services’. He told the workers that the state government had signed a social contract with the people of Enugu state and had been working towards providing social services to the people of the state through massive roads construction, ICT, building of Smart schools, Primary health care centers among others.
Governor Mbah said Investors cannot come to Enugu state without the workers working. He disclosed that the Internally Generated Revenue of the state has increased. “Our IGR is increasing. It has doubled.. The State Government is working.. We are providing social services , the ICT, the massive road construction, the Smart school among others”. He said they blocked all the leakages and have one payment system
He reiterated the state government’s commitment to improving the welfare of workers.
On the new minimum wage, he said the state government was working with Labour leaders and they had received the Committee’s recommendations, adding that the issue of the new minimum wage will soon be a thing of the past in the state.
On absenteeism, Governor Mbah said few persons who were absent would be punished.
Pix-: SSG at ESUT Teaching hospital
At Ekulu Primary school and Day Secondary School, Enugu, the Governor frowned at absenteeism of some teachers . He said they will be punished.. He however commended those who were in the school.
Owo police station
Pix-: SSG Day Secondary School
At ministry of transport and ministry of children gender and social development
Pix: Gov’s representative , Prof Onyia
Pix-: The security heads
Recall that recently, some people , who claimed to be working for the release of the leader of the Indigenous people of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, held in custody, circulated an information, warning people of the zone to observe two days sit-at-home, an “advise” Enugu state Government and the Police Command viewed as “criminal”. They urged people to ignore the order from non-state actors and go about their lawful businesses, noting that they cannot succumb to the advise of non- state actors
Author: Maureen Ikpeama