By Joshua Chibuzo Andrew, Owerri
The Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the minimum wage of N40,000 per month for civil servants promised by the state government as a Greek gift.
The party made the remark at the weekend in a statement signed by its Acting Publicity Secretary, Emenike Nmeregini.
It expressed doubt at the readiness of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration of Senator Hope Uzodimma to fulfill its promise to the civil servants in the state.
According to the PDP, Imo workers should guard their hearts with all diligence so that they would not suffer heart failure by the time the administration would take them for granted.
The party said it was relying on the failure of the administration to keep to its promises in the past in giving the workers the advice of fortifying themselves before the shocker of their lives would ensue.
It stated that Imo workers have passed through a lot of trauma right from the time of Owelle Rochas Okorocha administration which took them on a merry-go-round to the emergence of Uzodimma’s shared poverty regime which has witnessed brazen breaches of basic administrative rules.
According to it, the administration does not believe in the basic tenets of management but rather on the end justifying the means.
It recalled the series of verification of workers and pensioners undertaken by the administration since assumption of office in 2020 which took a devastating toll on the workers and pensioners.
It expressed indignation that some workers and pensioners who had their salaries and pensions stopped are yet to be paid for three years running in spite of the fact that they still go to work.
The PDP said the governor made the promise of new minimum wage ostensibly to secure a second term after which he would embark on retrenchment of workers.
It recalled that on May Day in 2022, Uzodimma announced increment of minimum wage to N30,000 and promotion of workers which he has not fulfilled till date.
The party said; “On the 1st day of May, 2022, during lmo workers day celebration, Gov Uzodimma in his usual deceit, announced some welfare packages for workers, among them were promotions and increase of minimum wage to N30,000.
“It would shock to know that up till date, no worker in the state has received this package. Again, he has come with another abracadabra (sic) in the name of subsidy removal palliative. Who is fooling who?
“Talking about palliative, lmo workers and indeed the generality of lmolites are still wondering the whereabouts of the state consignment of COVID 19 palliative. Till date, no account of the package has been made. They simply developed wings and flew into the thin air.
“It is our fervent prayer that the lmo APC government should stop playing unnecessary pranks with the sensibility of workers. It is callous to raise hopes of helpless workers with phantomic mouth watering packages that will never come.
“On our part as a major opposition party, we pledge to continue in our avowed agreement to protect and partner with you to make lmo safe again. Our social contract with you suffices and will get stronger with time”.
