Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has approved a ₦150,000 Christmas bonus for all civil servants in the state, citing his administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare despite revenue constraints.
The governor announced the bonus on Sunday during a church service at the Government House Chapel in Abakaliki, noting that the gesture was intended to ease the financial pressures associated with the festive season.
Nwifuru said the decision was taken even as the state grappled with what he described as declining revenues over the past year, stressing that workers’ wellbeing remained a priority of his administration.
Speaking on the forthcoming local government elections, the governor said he had not endorsed any aspirant and would ensure a transparent and competitive process.
“As far as I am concerned, the will of the people must prevail,” he said. “The people must choose their representatives without interference from any quarter.”
He reiterated his directive that political appointees seeking to contest the elections must resign their positions in line with electoral regulations.
“It is not my duty to pick chairmen for any local government area,” Nwifuru said. “Any appointee contesting must resign, as stipulated by law.”
The governor also addressed reports suggesting delays in the Vincent Agwu Nwankwo Flyover project, dismissing claims of inactivity and describing the project as one of the most ambitious infrastructural undertakings currently in the country.
According to him, the technical demands of the flyover account for the pace of work, adding that the project would significantly enhance urban mobility and the visual outlook of Abakaliki upon completion.
Nwifuru criticised what he described as misleading commentary on social media, insisting that his administration was focused on delivering long-term infrastructure that would place the state on a path of sustainable development.
“We are not doing this because we have surplus funds,” he said. “We are doing it because we want to leave a lasting legacy.”
