Gov Eno announces N1.04b bonus for workers at Public Service Week celebration
Governor Umo Eno has announced the payment of one billion and forty million Naira (N1,040,000,000.00) to workers employed by the Akwa Ibom State Government as a bonus to mark the 2024 Public Service Week.
The Governor shared the joyous news while speaking at a special thanksgiving service to conclude the week-long celebration by public servants, held at the International Worship Centre, Uyo.
Expressing appreciation for the harmonious working relationship with the Akwa Ibom State Government workforce and their support of the ARISE Agenda, the Governor said he was pleased to identify with the public servants as one of them and to partake in the thanksgiving.
He particularly commended the integrity, prudence, and bridge-building disposition of the Head of Civil Service, Elder Effiong Essien, whom he described as an honorable public servant.
He directed the Accountant-General of the State to ensure the payment of Twenty Thousand Naira (N20,000.00) each to all the 52,000 Civil Servants across the various tiers of the State Government in the first week of July as a bonus in commemoration of the celebration.
Reiterating his call for all hands to be on deck to make Akwa Ibom self-sufficient in food production, Governor Eno recalled the satisfying impression he got on visiting the model farm at Nsit Ibom Local Government Area and commended the Hon. Otong Aaron-led Transition Committee, urging others to emulate the worthy example.
He also charged the Head of Civil Service to put checks in place to discourage the abuse of the Farm Days declared by the State Government, stressing that if 52,000 workers utilize the work-free days to farm, Akwa Ibom will be better off in terms of food sufficiency.
In his commitment to human capacity development in the Service, the Governor said he will soon visit the Civil Service Training Centre with the intent to upgrade its facilities to serve his administration’s determined purpose. Arrangements for a partnership between IBOM Led and ASCON in Badagry, Lagos, are underway for the training of senior Civil Servants to acquaint them with modern work tools for greater efficiency.
Leading the state civil servants to give thanks to God for keeping the public workers safe and alive for the past year, the Head of Civil Service, Elder Effiong Essien, said the first year of Pastor Umo Eno’s tenure has been exceptionally favorable to Akwa Ibom workers, both serving and retired.
He thanked the Governor for the privilege of hosting the 2024 Public Service Week for the first time in the last ten years.
Elder Essien noted that despite the tough economic realities, God has helped the civil servants to stay afloat, while expressing optimism that the workers will continue to support the Governor Umo Eno-led administration to succeed.
Delivering a sermon at the event on the theme, “A Grateful Heart,” culled from 1st Thessalonians 5:18, the Uyo Field Superintendent of The Apostolic Church Nigeria, Pastor Ime N. George, said it was important to acknowledge that every good thing that man enjoys comes from God and urged workers in the State to be even more thankful to God for the workers’-friendly disposition of the state chief executive.
A high point of the event was the presentation of Awards of Recognition to the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Ekaette Obot, Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Elder Udeme Otong, and the Governor, in appreciation of the conducive work atmosphere that the state civil servants have enjoyed in the Judiciary, Legislative, and Executive arms of Government.
