The National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Enugu State has made a proclamation, affirming that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has shown clear exemplary leadership that has instituted good governance in the state.
During a massive rally held in the university town of Nsukka, the leadership of the union declared that the workers were celebrating the governor for taking the unprecedented step of releasing 100 percent of the first phase of the Paris Club Refund money for offsetting backlog of salaries and leave allowances/entitlements owed the local government workers in the state.
In the solidarity rally tagged ‘Good Governance’, the state president of the union, Comrade Kenneth Ugwueze, leading other union leaders in addressing the massive rally, said the union organized the event to proclaim Governor Ugwuanyi’s good governance in the state, adding that he has settled outstanding salary arrears and leave allowances owed local government staff.
Comrade Ugwueze also informed that the union is happy with the governor for the implementation of new scheme of service for the union members, a situation which has removed the hitherto subsisting obnoxious ceiling barring them from rising to the post of a director on grade level 16 in the system.
Also marvelous for the workers, according to the NULGE chief, included the aggressive infrastructure development, firm handling of security in both the urban and rural areas, and the transparent and judicious utilization of the state’s scarce resources for the on-going pleasant development projects across the state.
Addressing the union members who converged on the Government Field, Nsukka, for the rally, Comrade Ugwueze said “What we are doing today is a solidarity rally for good governance in Enugu State. When our governor says that the state is in the hands of God, some people may see it as a political statement, but when you consider how the state is executing monumental development projects and paying salaries on the 25th of every month with lean resources, you will begin to understand the efficacy of that pronouncement.
“Two months after he assumed office, he called for a meeting with our union hierarchy to know our problems. After the meeting, he asked for audit and biometric capturing of the NULGE staff; this has been done and would be ready for submission and implementation in the next two weeks.
“By implication, NULGE staff will be receiving their salaries on the same day with those in the state cadre of the civil service.
“When the Paris Club Refund Fund was received, he ordered that 100 percent of it be used to settle the arrears of salaries and other allowances owed our members. This is the first time it is happening in our state.
Some state governors who received same fund from the federal government are still owing their workers from 7 to 18 months arrears of salaries, but in Enugu State, ours is a song of solidarity for good governance.” he said.
He said that the Scheme of Service which allows for the promotion of NULGE workers up to Level 16 and above has been approved by the state governor”, he further explained.
The treasurer of the Welfare Committee of the union, Comrade Jonas Obetta, said that they will not fail to pay back the good gesture of the governor at the appropriate time.
Mrs. Uchenna Asogwa is a local government employeee and she spoke of how she felt when she received the backlog of salaries, saying, “I didn’t know it would be a reality. In the past administration, I was owed 21 months arrears and when the tenure of the administration elapsed, the money went with it, so when I got this cheque, tears of joy flowed from my eyes because I never believed it would happen”.
The solidarity rally covered the major streets of Nsukka Urban; from the Government Field, Enugu Road,Ugwu Oye through Ikenga Hotel junction to Odenigbo roundabout and back to the Government Field.
