Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has announced the slashing of his salary and travel allowance by 50 percent.
Ikpeazu, who disclosed this Monday at the Government House Umuahia, while swearing in the state’s new Head of Service, Dr. Vivian Uma, said he was deeply pained by his administration’s inability to pay salaries of workers as at when due following the dwindling federal allocation.
He said he had decided to personally identify with the suffering workers and would not lift the self imposed austerity until the salaries and allowances owed workers were cleared.
Some workers, especially those in the parastatals, as well as pensioners are being owed up to six months salaries.
The Governor, who is yet to move into the Government House, Umuahia, promised “to do everything possible” to systematically defray the arrears of workers’ salaries.
He called on political appointees to follow his example, stressing that there is need to cut down the cost of governance.
He congratulated the new Head of Service on his appointment which he described as a milestone, saying that the appointment is part of his government’s desire to rejig the civil service.
He charged civil servants in the state to be more proactive for the challenges ahead.
The Governor also charged the new HOS to fashion out innovative ways of doing things, especially in terms of increasing the Internally Generated Revenue of the state.
In his acceptance speech, Dr. Uma promised to introduce new changes for efficient service delivery, adding that discipline and sound ethical conduct will be enthroned in the service under his watch.
Uma thanked Ikpeazu for giving him the opportunity to serve in that capacity and promised not to disappoint the people.
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