The Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru, has brought joy to civil servants in the state with a promise of a ₦150,000 bonus to be credited to their accounts to help them enjoy the Christmas holidays.
In a statement shared via Facebook on Thursday, December 12, the Ebonyi State Chief Press Secretary, Monday Uzor, disclosed that the Christmas bonus is intended for every state worker and stressed that the funds would be credited by Tuesday.
According to Uzor, the initiative aligns with Governor Francis Nwifuru’s commitment to ensuring that every civil servant in the state celebrates Christmas despite the economic hardship in the country.
Announcing the bonus, Uzor stated, “Every worker in Ebonyi State service will receive ₦150,000 as a Christmas Bonus before 1 pm on Tuesday… Gov. Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru.”
The announcement has sparked excitement among workers in the state.
Investors King reports that this development comes days after a faceoff between Governor Nwifuru and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), following the decision of workers in the state to join the December protest initiated against governors who have yet to implement the new minimum wage.
In response to the protest, the Governor threatened to sack and replace any worker who took part in the strike if they failed to return to work within 72 hours.
Governor Nwifuru expressed particular frustration that workers joined the industrial action despite the state government’s implementation of a new minimum wage of ₦75,000 for Ebonyi workers.
Responding to the governor’s threat, the NLC described it as irresponsible and urged the state’s workers to intensify the strike.
The NLC further advised the governor to invite the state’s labor leaders for a dialogue to expedite the resolution of the minimum wage issue instead of resorting to intimidation and threats.
