The last time I checked, the two free working
days currently enjoyed by the workers in Imo State – the Eastern Heartland –
would soonest be put to stop. This was disclosed on Monday, 5th
February 2018 by Governor Rochas Okorocha during an interactive session held
between the number-one citizen and practicing journalists in the state at the
Douglas House, Owerri, in the spirit of Imo at 42.
According to the governor, as from 1st
March 2018, every worker domiciled in the state would be expected to participate
actively in his or her office in all working days, ranging from Monday to
Friday. He stressed that any civil servant found wanting as from the stipulated
date would be shown the way out without much ado.
It
would be recalled that in about two years ago, precisely on Friday, 29th
July 2016, Gov. Okorocha graciously announced the outright reduction of the
globally recognized five existing working days of the workers to three, from
Monday to Wednesday to be precise, thereby allowing them to be off between
Thursdays and Fridays. The governor who granted the grace during his meeting
with the delegation of Imo Royal Fathers in Agriculture, stated that the two
days off were mapped out strictly for the sake of farming.
He explained that the declaration was informed
by the urgent need to engage the teeming workers in the state’s new
agricultural programme branded ‘back to land for agriculture’, which was
scheduled to commence on August 1, 2016. The governor who then categorically
made it clear that workers on essential duties to include those in the
information, health, security, teaching and IGR-based sectors coupled with
political appointees were exempted from the free working days, further notified
that a bill for the initiative would be sent to the state’s legislature for
legal backing.
I
could recall vividly that in a swift reaction to that declaration on this very
column, one of my major lines read “…if Gov. Okorocha isn’t a famous leader, I
will insinuate he’s just trying to attract popularity to his name”. In that
piece, I made it unequivocally clear that as a constitution and rights
activist, it was pertinent to let the governor comprehend fully that he had
derailed by even thinking of such an idea let alone making it public.
In my words, I further informed that
announcing suchlike policy was simply unconstitutional and lawless, citing the
International Labour Organization (ILO) that constitutionally prescribed that
at least 40 hours per week must be spent by any public servant anywhere in the
world. I equally reminded that the Nigerian 1999 Constitution, as amended,
abides by the ILO’s directive, which implied that the issue of workers’ working
days wasn’t even an affair to be deliberated by a group of state legislators
talk less of an individual in a position of authority. It’s therefore needless
to reiterate that I personally frowned over the declaration in its totality.
However, it’s noteworthy that almost two years
on, that very grace granted to Imo workers is yet to yield the fruit for which
it was initiated. At the moment, farming is yet to be taken as a priority by an
average Imolite, particularly among the direct beneficiaries of the free
working days’ initiative; all to the detriment of the state’s public service
and her economy in general.
I said it earlier that His Excellency
never told us how he intended to monitor the workers towards ensuring that the
free days in question were judiciously utilized as expected. Unfortunately,
that constructive and candid criticism of mine was absorbed by many allies of
the governor as a sign of hatred for the leader, and the Rescue Mission
Government at large. But today, I have been vindicated from the guilt which was
wrongly placed on my innocent person for tendering the statement.
Presently, there’s honestly no how a sane
and rational individual wouldn’t cry for the public service if he/she took time
to visit any of the state’s ministries on a Thursday or Friday. When you take a
walk to the place on the aforementioned days, you would be told by the security
personnel on duty that the workers had gone to farm; yet, on a daily basis, our
children cry of severe hunger in our various homes. How do you then reconcile
the scenario?
I sincerely thank God that the governor had
realized the mistake he inadvertently made two years ago. By publicly putting
up that directive penultimate Monday, he had eventually concurred with my candid
analysis that such an initiative wasn’t the required way forward for economic
emancipation, or the anticipated boom in the agric sector. In other words, I
congratulate him for retracing his steps. We never needed a seer to tell us
that the free working days’ initiative had caused, and still causing, the state
more harm than good.
Now that the affected workers have been
mandated to return from their ‘farms’ to their respective offices, it is
needless to inform the governor that a tangible measure needs to be implemented
in order to ensure compliance. Proactive approach must be put in place towards
ensuring that those so-called farms are left by the workers for their various
offices. And for such to be actualized, it would be ideal and wise to set up a
standing committee – comprising competent and reliable individuals – that would
checkmate the day-to-day activity of the affected civil servants.
Among all, as these workers have been
asked to return to their offices, the government ought to equally ensure that
prompt payment of salaries cum allowances is sustained come rain come shine.
Thus far, I must candidly appreciate the governor for maintaining the tempo as
regards payment as and when due, but it would be more commendable if all that
is accruable to the workers are duly given to them without any form of
deduction. It suffices to say that I’m using this medium to advocate for a
regular hundred percent (100%) salaries and allowances for the working class in
the state.
So, as the free working days in the
Eastern Heartland have been graciously scrapped by the initiator, it would be
ideal for both the government and the workers to be invariably mindful of the
needful for the sake of Imo at large. Think about it!
Comrade FDN Nwaozor
Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub (DRH) - Owerri
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Follow me: @mediambassador
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