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Tag: Anambra State Government

  • ‘Workers to forfeit pay over absenteeism’

    ‘Workers to forfeit pay over absenteeism’

    • From Elekwachi Chinedum, Onitsha

    Anambra State Government has announced that salaries of civil servants will henceforth be paid on a pro-rata basis, depending on attendance.

    Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, who disclosed this to reporters, said the decision, reached during end-of-tenure retreat of Anambra State Executive Council (ANSEC), would take effect next month.

    He said the council had frowned at persistent absenteeism of public and civil servants on Mondays across the state, saying it had resolved to end the “anomaly.”

    Mefor said the retreat reviewed the activities of the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo over the past four years and outlined priorities for the new tenure scheduled to begin on March 17.

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    He said: “The retreat observed that for the past four years, many Anambra public and civil servants have consistently failed to report for work on Mondays, citing insecurity and lack of transportation as reasons for their absence.

    “The retreat acknowledged that while these concerns may have existed in the past, they no longer apply, making continued absenteeism unjustifiable.

    “Workers are simply enjoying the sit-at-home because they know whether they come to work or not, salaries will still be paid.

    “Ordinarily, this should be treated as a clear case of absenteeism, which under the civil service rules can attract sanctions, including dismissal.

    “But the government has decided not to go that route. Instead, the government will begin paying salaries on a pro-rata basis. If you don’t want to lose your pay for Monday, then you must come to office.

    “The mechanism is already in place. Attendance forms are being designed to enable workers clock in on Monday mornings and clock out at the close of work.”

    The commissioner said continued absence of civil servants on Mondays had a significant negative impact on government productivity and the state’s economy.

    “Any day civil servants fail to come to work, government business stagnates, and by implication, the state’s economy stagnates.

    “Revenue that should accrue to the government is lost, and there is no assurance that such losses can be recovered,” he said.

    Citing the state Internal Revenue Service (AIRS) and other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as examples, the commissioner says when such offices are shut on Mondays, the state loses substantial revenue and critical projects are delayed.

    Mefor said the pro-rata payment policy was aimed at ensuring fairness, efficiency and sustainability in public spending.

    “We cannot say we should abandon Mondays and adopt Saturdays as working days. This will mean Anambra State has surrendered to whoever imposed the sit-at-home.

    “It will also make us the only state in Nigeria working on Saturdays, which will be absurd. Government cannot continue to urge markets and the informal sector to open on Mondays, while its own workforce remains absent.

    “It’s only reasonable to start with pro-rata payment as a way of compelling workers to resume on Mondays,” he said.

    The commissioner said the government was engaging market leaders to encourage traders to reopen their shops on Mondays.

    “Security is also being strengthened across the state to boost traders’ confidence and ensure they can conduct their legitimate businesses without fear,” he said.

    On how the pro-rata salary system would be calculated, Mefor explained that monthly salaries would be divided by the 24 official working days in a month to determine the daily wage of each worker, which would then be applied accordingly.

    “The decision has to be taken. Four years is enough. According to an international firm, the economic losses resulting from the sit-at-home run into trillions of naira.

    “It is a firm decision of the government, and implementation has already begun,” he said.

  • Anambra safe for business, says commissioner

    Anambra safe for business, says commissioner

    Anambra State Government has said the state is safe for business, insisting that there is no longer any fear associated with the sit-at-home order observed on Mondays.

    Information Commissioner Law Mefoh said this yesterday during an interview on a national television programme, following the decision of Governor Chukwuma Soludo to shut down Onitsha Main Market for one week after traders failed to open their shops on Monday.

    Mefoh said adequate security measures had been put in place across the state, stressing that the sit-at-home order was no longer a threat to commercial activities. “Anambra is safe for business. The fear factor is no longer there. Maybe in the past when this sit-at-home started, but now it is no longer an issue,” he said.

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    He added that there was no justification for the continued closure of markets, particularly Onitsha Main Market, which he described as arguably the largest market in West Africa.

    According to him, the persistent shutdown of markets is negatively impacting on the state’s economy.

    Commenting on the governor’s action, the commissioner said the state government had the responsibility to ensure the smooth running of Anambra’s socio-economic activities.

    He noted that while fear initially forced traders and workers to stay indoors on Mondays, the situation had since changed.

    “Over time, traders converted Monday into an extension of the weekend, and this is seriously affecting the socio-economic life of the state,” Mefoh said, adding that Anambra reportedly lost an average of N8 billion every Monday markets remained closed.

  • Anambra to seal petrol stations with gas plants

    The Anambra state government on Tuesday threatened to seal all filling stations operating cooking gas plants within their premises.

    The Chairman, Enforcement and Compliance Unit of the state, Prince Innocent Offordile, dropped the hint in Awka while reacting on the implications of locating gas plants inside filling stations.

    He said the practice, which had become rampant in almost all the filling stations across the state, was totally illegal as it posed high risk to residents.

    Offordile, who is also the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on security, regretted that despite notice to the operators to remove the petrol stations, more of the plants were springing up within fuel stations.

    He revealed that plans had been concluded to commence enforcement on the directive as soon as the government gave a final approval to that effect.

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    According to him: “The Anambra state government had to embark on the enforcement considering the fact that its citizens will be at the receiving end in the event of any fire outbreak.”

    He further warned those citing filling stations within residential areas to desist from such practice as they would not also be spared by government.

    Commissioner for Lands, Mr. Nnamdi Onukwuba, stressed that the enforcement of the separation of gas plant from petrol stations across the state was aimed at reducing the rate of explosions in filling stations.

    He urged all proprietors of filling station to adhere to the directives or face the full wrath of the law.

    Onukwuba said: “Governor Willie Obiano’s directive to all gas plants to relocate is because gas and fuel cannot co-exist as it pose a great danger of fire out breaks.”

  • Child theft: Daycare owners trained in child management

    Worried by the spate of child theft, trafficking and abuse in the country, the Anambra State government has commenced training of proprietors of Daycare centers across the state.

    The training being organized by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, would involve no fewer than 100 daycare proprietors.

    Speaking during the training, Special Adviser to the state governor on Women and Children Matters, Hon. Onyeka Ebelebe, said the training was aimed at equipping the Daycare owners and handlers with basic skills needed for the job.

    He said, “It has become necessary to equip the proprietors with skills following the discovery that children are being stolen from the daycare centres across the country due to lack of proper training on the part of the owners and management of these centres.

    “The purpose of the training is to educate the participants on how they can operate in a good working relationship with the state government in terms of social amenities needed for the upkeep of these centres, like CCTV installation, the building of electrical fans, first aid facilities in case of emergency, among others.”

    According to him, the challenges represented clear danger as it threatened the attainment of key government policies.

    Ebelebe who revealed that the participants were duly registered with the state government, urged other proprietors yet to register across the state to key into the training for the interest of a better society.

    He further disclosed government’s plans to provide starter packs to every participant to ensure all beneficiaries run their businesses with ease.

    On his part, a consultant with the ministry, Dr Emeka Ejide, who was the resource person, said the training would enable the trainees showcase their passion for children.

    He challenged them to be determined to succeed by remaining focused throughout the training.

    One of the participants, Onyinyechi Eze, was full of appreciation to the state government for the initiative, expressing optimism that the training would go a long way in reducing the rate of child theft in the state.

  • Pushback against Operation No Okada

    In Awka, Anambra State’s capital, and Onitsha, its business hub, commercial motorcycle operators have until July 1 to find an alternative job. NWANOSIKE ONU reports that the operators, clergy and others are fighting the state government

    COMPARATIVELY, the July 1st deadline given by the Anambra State government for commercial motorcyclists to quit Awka, the state capital, and Onitsha, its commercial nerve, is coming late. In Lagos and some other states in the Southeast and Southeast , that directive was issued earlier, though operational in areas off the highways, in some cases.

    The overwhelming reasons for the ban on commercial motorcycles or okada are crime and safety concerns. Everywhere okada goes, criminality and ghastly accidents follow. In Lagos, okada accidents became so frequent and deadly that a special ward called okada was created at the famous Igbobi orthopaedic hospital.

    Still, no one can deny that okada operators took up the job not out of fascination for it but out of sheer necessity to survive in the face of crippling unemployment. Nor can anyone gloss over the fact that operators play a huge role in transporting people to places where buses and taxis are not found, and appreciably fast.

    In Anambra, the directive has become a source of worry to many people. Governor Willie Obiano had on May 22 banned okada operations in the two cities, which according to him, could be extended to other cities in the state in no distant time.

    The action has continued to generate controversy in the state. The National President of Motorcycle Transport Union of Nigeria (MTUN) Chief John Onedibe has called on the governor to give okada operators a sense of belonging in the state.

    Not only the operators that are irritated by the directive. The Anglican Bishop of Nnewi-ichi in Nnewi South Local Government Area of the state, Most Rev Ephraim Ikeakor said the ban might be costly and deadly, if the decision is not rescinded.

    Ikeakor, who spoke at the Saint Stephens Anglican synod in Nnewi-ichi, said rather than outright ban, their operational scope should be limited.

    The state government’s statement was issued by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor, Mr James Eze.

    He said the ban was in two of the major cities of Awka an Onitsha.

    Obiano further said the decision was taken to reduce crime and criminality in Anambra State, which he said was one of the things he promised Ndi Anambra

    But speaking in Nnewi, the national president of the union, Onedibe, while briefing reporters, debunked the claim that the operators were all criminals, but agreed there were some of them who were not clean in the business.

    Onedibe said, “It is not new that the essence of government is to make life easy and bearable for citizens and not otherwise. Government especially a democratic one such as ours, must consider the voice of majority and minority, the rich and poor for it to thrive and succeed in its governance of the people.

    “Where government considers what is good for the wealthy alone without thinking of how the poor class may feel, with due respect, it then means that the government is for the wealthy alone and such does not protect and represent the interest of all.

    “How can the government decide to ban Okada without first of all consulting the stakeholders or at least invite public opinion on the matter?”

    He gave the instance of how Prof Ben Ayade of Cross River State, who abolished all forms of taxation and levies on low income earners in the state, including Okada riders, which he said was what leadership should be.

    He stressed that the real reason behind the presumed banning of Okada in the state was still not clear to the people, especially the poor Okada riders.

    ”Even if there are genuine reasons to stop Okada riders from plying in the state, government should provide alternative jobs for them, instead of keeping them unemployed.

    Onedibe appealed to the government to support the operation of Okada riders in the state, instead of banning their operations, because many of them trained their children and were still training their children who he said would become medical doctors, engineers, nurses, lawyers, bankers, pilots, politicians, priests and what have you, from the proceeds of Okada.

    He said “There is no better and quicker means of inter-town transportation than Okada, whether the road is good or not is not what an Okada wants to know, as far as he would be paid after rendering his service unlike taxi cabs.

    Onedibe opined that the Union was ready to work with government at all levels to produce better and progressive state.

    “We contributed immensely to the success of this present government in Anambra State, during the past election, which resulted in APGA winning 21/21, a feat that has never happened in the history of Anambra State,” he said

    For the Anglican prelate, Ikeakor, the state government should listen to the voice of reason, instead of taking the action it did recently, adding that the consequences could be devastating in the state.

  • Anambra, firm partner on N50b market

    Anambra, firm partner on N50b market

    West Trade Centre (WTC) and the Anambra State Government are partnering to build a N50billion trade centre at Ogbunike near Onitsha that will house about 30,000 stalls.

    Addressing reporters in Awka, the state capital, WTC President, Mr. Emmanuel Anyaralu, said the market would be made up of 65 clusters of 440 stalls each to be built on 50 hectares of land.

    He said all traders would be accommodated in the market, which he said would not only decongest markets around Onitsha but attract businesses from Lagos and other West African cities where Anambra and Igbo people have established businesses.

    The Commissioner for Commerce and Industry Mr. Robert Okonkwo said the state government bought into the scheme because of its desire to build modern markets with all the necessary facilities for international trade centres.

    He said the market would provide shelter for Igbo traders, who may want to relocate from hostile business environments in other parts of the country.

    Apart from building the market, Okonkwo said government was constructing roads and a mono-rail that will link the site with other major centres in Onitsha and neighbouring cities, such as Awka and Nnewi.

    His counterpart for Youths and Sports Dr. Edozie Aroh said the centre was an answer to Igbo traders who have been looking for where to do business in Igboland.

    The state House of Assembly Committee Chairman on Internally Generated Revenue Mr Valentine Anyika said the centre would not only boost the revenue profile of the state but would provide ample employment and business opportunities for its people.

    While appealing to traders to patronise the project, Committee Chairman on Commerce and Industry Dr. Ikechukwu Umeh promised that the House of Assembly would assist with the necessary legislative framework to encourage the project.

    Arranged into two major phases, Anyaralu said the first phase will tentatively cost N10 billion to execute, while the second phase will cost N40 billion.

    The project, he said, will have warehousing facilities, bondage warehousing for bulk customs clearance, health facilities, lodging and conference centre, adding that the project would be a continuous one considering the dynamic nature of the global economy.

    The project’s private sector facilitators are members of the Association of Cosmetics and Allied Products Marketers of Nigeria.