In a bid to increase the state's internally
generated revenue and diversify its economy, the
Imo state government has introduced a policy
where state civil servants are to work for only
three days in the week, Monday to Wednesday
while Thursday and Friday, they are to go their
farms to cultivate what they would eat.
A statement by the state governor, Rochas
Okorocha's Chief Press secretary, Sam
Onwuemeodo, said the new policy will not affect
the salaries of workers. Read the full statement
shared on the state government's Facebook page
below...
The government of Imo State has
introduced a policy tagged“BACK TO LAND
FOR AGRICULTURE” to enable the state
engage and invest heavily in agriculture
for self-sustenance since from all
indications the state can no longer depend
on monthly allocation for survival.
The governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha
disclosed the “Back To Land For
Agriculture” policy of the state government
when traditional rulers from the state
operating under the aegis of Royal fathers
in Agriculture paid him courtesy call at the
Government House Owerri on Monday,
August 1, 2016. He said, the State
Executive Council has given approval to
the new policy. Against the backdrop of
the “Back to Land for Agriculture”
Programme, the governor directed that
public servants in the state would now
work from Mondays to Wednesdays, and
use Thursdays and Fridays for agriculture
(farming) while Saturdays can be used for
ceremonies. And the directive takes effect
from Monday August 1, 2016.
However,
the governor exempted public servants on
essential duties like the teachers, nurses,
doctors and people involved in Internally
Generated Revenue drive. Political
appointees are also exempted from the
three-days working periods. The governor
added “we shall try this programme for
the period of one year, starting from 1st of
August 2016 and hopefully this will help.
Let me make this emphasis before it is
misconstrued or misrepresented, that this
does not in any way affect the salaries of
the workers. Workers will get their full
salaries as been the practice. So the
policy does not mean that there will be a
cut in salary rather let us now find a way
for our workers to supplement their
salaries”. He continued “for this reason the
issue of annual leave and casual leave is
hereby cancelled. Resumption time for
work has changed from 8am to 7.30am in
the morning and ends by 4pm. Any
worker that is not found on his or her seat
between 7.30am and 4pm on the days
concerned will be summarily dismissed”.
“Everybody must go back to agriculture.
Every political appointee must own a farm.
The youths would also be encouraged to
take to agriculture. Schools including
Universities, Polytechnics and Secondary
schools in the state must own farms. The
Community Government Council (CGC)
must be strengthened for the sake of this
agricultural programme”. “Two billion
naira (N2b) has been set aside at the
micro-finance bank for the purpose of this
Back To Land For Agriculture policy so
that those willing can access it. And time
is gone again when politicians and some
Imolites will come to government in the
pretence of farming and collect loans and
use it to buy cars and marry new wives”.
“Again, the June and July Salaries would
be paid this week. We are making sure
that our workers are comfortable and our
pensioners are happy because this is one
area the whole nation is having a serious
challenge. Our problem is not being
unable to pay salaries but paying over-
bloated salaries. We are also making effort
to pay our pensioners once the
harmonization is over”. “I also want to
announce that government has appealed
to families and those who organize burials
on Mondays to Wednesdays to please
change and have their burials on
Saturdays so that we can concentrate on
the government’s work and on the
agricultural programme. “Everything that
has to do with agriculture no matter what
shape it comes, government will support
it. So many countries are going through
economic crisis because of the fall in oil.
Our nation is also going through very
difficult moment. We have taken
responsibility as leaders and we are not
blaming anyone. Wise nations and leaders
save for the rainy days. There were
periods the oil price was in our favour.
But those incharge then blew the money.They made no savings. Today the oil price
globally has crashed and here we are. And
we must fall back to agriculture as the
panacea” Governor Okorocha stated.
Sam Onwuemeodo Chief Press Secretary
to the Governor
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