Civil servants and pensioners in Akwa Ibom state who witnessed the era of Senator Godswill Akpabio as Governor of the state will continue to miss him and wish that he could be brought back to govern the state.
He introduced what came to be known as AKPABIOMBER, a thirteenth salary in a year paid to workers every December to celebrate Christmas and new year. This package was institutionalised for the eight years he governed the state. But it was dismantled by his successor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, who saw it as an unnecessary waste of public funds.
Akpabio never failed to pay impress to run the various offices.
Unfortunately, under the present administration, civil servants hardly receive impress. As a result, the morale among them is very low.
Akpabio never played politics with any of the entitlements of the civil servants and pensioners. He was paying them leave grants as and when due.
He never failed to pay pensioners their pensions and gratuities. But under the present administration, pensioners hardly get their entitlements. In fact, the NLC had to embark on a protest at the premises of the State House of Assembly over the backlog of salaries, leave grants and other entitlements owed its members.
Akpabio was giving civil servants car loans. That’s why and how they could afford brand new cars. But under the present administration, they don’t enjoy such privileges.
Akpabio believed and still believes in economic empowerment and development of the people. When he was governor of the state, he made sure prosperity and wealth was spread to everybody in the state and not what’s happening in the present arrangement where only the privileged few is empowered.
Obong Iniobong John
Akwa Ibom state Chairman
APC NATIONAL YOUTH CAUCUS
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