By Amara Agha Abakaliki
Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has approved a ₦150,000 Christmas bonus for all civil servants in the state, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare despite prevailing economic challenges.
The governor announced the bonus on Sunday during a church service at the Government House Chapel, Abakaliki. He said the gesture was aimed at cushioning the effects of the economic hardship occasioned by dwindling state revenues over the past year.
Governor Nwifuru stressed that the welfare of civil servants remains a priority of his administration, noting that workers are critical partners in achieving effective governance and service delivery.
Speaking on the forthcoming local government elections in the state, the governor declared that he has not anointed any candidate, assuring that the electoral process would be free, fair, and credible.
> “As far as I am concerned, the will of the people must prevail. The people must choose their representatives without interference from any quarter,” he stated.
He reiterated his earlier directive that political appointees seeking to contest in the local government elections must resign their appointments in accordance with electoral laws and guidelines.
> “It is not my duty to pick who becomes chairman of any local government area. If you are contesting for the chairmanship position as an appointee, you must resign as stipulated by law,” the governor emphasized.
Governor Nwifuru also dismissed rumours suggesting delays in the construction of the Vincent Agwu Nwankwo Flyover (VANCO), describing the project as one of the most ambitious infrastructural developments currently underway in the country.
> “You cannot find any state in Nigeria undertaking such a flyover project at the moment,” he said, explaining that the scale and technical rigours of the project require careful execution to ensure quality and durability.
The governor criticized what he described as misleading narratives by “social media contractors,” insisting that his administration is deliberately investing in landmark infrastructure to give Ebonyi State a modern outlook.
> “We are not doing this because we have excess money; we are doing it because we want to sign our signature in the annals of history,” he added.
According to him, the ultimate goal is to position Ebonyi State on the global map as a reference point for good governance driven by modern and sustainable infrastructure.
