The federal government has approved the disbursement of N2 billion and 3,000 bags of rice to Ebonyi state to help cushion the effect of petrol subsidy removal.
This was announced on Thursday, August 24, by the state’s commissioner for information and orientation, Engr. Jude Chikadibia Okpor, while he briefed newsmen on the outcome of the State Executive Council Meeting in Abakaliki.
Okpor further added that the state government has approved the payment of N4.3 billion for retired civil servants between 1996 to 2021 in Ebonyi.
“In furtherance of the resolve of the people-oriented and purpose-driven administration of His Excellency, Rt Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru to lift the living standard of majority of Ebonyians through Human Capital development policies, the Ebonyi State Executive Council also approved the payment of arrears of gratuity to retired civil servants from 1996 to 2021 with a cost implementation of over four billion naira (#4.3b).
“Council also directed that all issues around those who are yet to receive the payment of their pension which is still ongoing should be resolved without further delay. This magnanimous gesture of His Excellency aimed at ameliorating the suffering of our senior citizens will unarguably serve as a moral boaster to workers who are still in service. Exco members expressed their support for this decision with a standing ovation to His Excellency, the chairman of the council.
“It is to be recalled that Exco had earlier directed the Commissioner for Skill Development and Job Creation and his counterpart in the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Business Development to visit major cities in the country to bring back young Ebonyians indulging in street hawking and other menial jobs for training in skills and businesses of their choice.
“To further demonstrate the readiness of the Ebonyi State Government to drive the programme to a logical conclusion, the Exco approved an empowerment package of two million naira each for one thousand five hundred young Ebonyians involved in street hawking and other menial jobs both at home and across the major cities after graduation from the training. The approval which will cost the state over three billion naira is to be implemented in three phases of five hundred (500) beneficiaries in each phase.
“Consequently, the State Executive Council approved the sum of two billion naira as initial capital for the implementation of this empowerment programme. The training and and subsequent empowerment of the first batch of five hundred beneficiaries will commence as soon as all the necessary frameworks are put in place.”
