Mbah commends civil servants, traders, residents for shunning IPOB’s sit-at-home

Forum 3 months ago

ENUGU State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, has commended civil servants, traders, transporters and other business operators who defied the Monday sit-at-home and went about their normal business activities yesterday.

Mbah had last week directed workers and traders in the state to ignore the sit-at-home being called out by the Finnish-based Simon Ekpa who claims to be a disciple of the detained leader of IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and open their offices and shops.

Following Mbah’s directive, security was beefed up in parts of the state. The people did not however respond early in coming out as there was apprehension, but later some of them picked courage and went out for work and their businesses.

The Governor who went around to monitor the level of compliance was quoted as saying that his directive recorded 70%

compliance and expressed hope of total compliance on subsequent Mondays.

Ministries and offices visited, according to reports, included the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry Capital Territory, the Ministry of Inter-Ministerial Affairs and Special Duties, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Lands, the Ministry of Finance, the Office of the Accountant-General, Office of the Head of Service, Office of the Surveyor-General, among others, where he was received by the civil servants and heads of MDAs.

Mbah also visited some markets, including the Akwata section of Ogbete Market, and Mayor Market situate along Agbani Road, among others, where he was warmly received by happy traders and their leaders.

Mbah told the people that productivity was key to all the promises he made to them to drive investment inflow into the state, create jobs, and provide quality services. He reminded the people that the power and mandate belonged to them, hence they should never allow people, who had no stake in the state’s economy to undermine the peace and prosperity of the Enugu State.

“The primary objective of my visitations is largely to observe the level of compliance of the directive that we gave last week, declaring that we do not have sit-at-home in Enugu henceforth. The directive was meant to ensure that our people come out on the first working and productive day of the week.

“We do have a compliance level of about 60 to 70 per cent, and the order took effect from today. I am aware the circular to this effect was sent out on Friday. It may well be that not all the workers got the information that we no longer have sit-at-home on Mondays.

“The truth is that everything we have promised our people in Enugu is anchored on getting the flow of private sector investments into our state; and the private sector cannot come into a state where the people are not productive. The private sector thrives on big markets and a vibrant workforce.

“So, our people are known by their hard work, by their industry and commerce. So, we cannot have people, who kill these spirits in our people and dictate to us the day we should go to work and the day we should sit at home.

“We have to revive that spirit of hard work and culture of commerce and industry that our people are known for. We want to reinstate that, and that is exactly what we are doing”, the governor told newsmen at the end of the monitoring exercise.

He assured the people of his government’s commitment to the security of lives and property every other day of the week, Mondays inclusive.

“Security of lives and property is essentially the oath we took and that is at the top of our priorities. We must ensure the safety of our people. And we have also said repeatedly that our people should go about their businesses.

“Let it not ever be heard that we are going to be listening to people, who do not stake in our economy and social welfare dictate to us when we must come out to work. It should not be heard of.

“Think about it, we are here today because we got the mandate of the people. So, could you then have somebody make you inferior without your consent? Someone you have not given your mandate to lead you tells you to sit down and, somehow, you begin to sit at home. And he tells you to go, and you begin to go. That should not be acceptable. It actually undermines our dignity as a people and we shouldn’t endorse that”,the governor declared.