Akwa Ibom workers ‘will vote massively’ for Udom in 2019

Ekere Akpan, head of service in Akwa Ibom, says workers and people of the state will massively vote for Udom Emmanuel, to continue as governor of the state come 2019.

Akpan said apart from the massive infrastructural developments such as roads, hospitals, another major area the governor has distinguished himself is regular payment of salaries and monthly pensions to the state workforce and retirees.

“There are so many instances to count. If a leader assumes office and then notices that some people were left out for over 10 years without being paid their gratuities and without prompting, clears the entire outstanding,” she said.

“I think that leader has the interest of the workers at heart. And if that same leader within the period of recession, instead of downsizing, he continues to employ, I think he has the interest of the people and the workers at heart,” she said.

Akpan further added that the government does not owe its workers perpetually.

According to her, any delay in payment of funds may be due to various under laying factors.

“Government does not owe any person in perpetuity. Salaries are paid including SUBEB – primary school teachers and local government staff. If a worker comes out to say he/she is owed salary,” she said.

“I would ask the worker just as I asked the young man I referred to earlier. There must be something wrong if a worker is not paid. He has probably not been cleared. Until we clear you, we can’t pay you.”

“I remember when I came on board; arrears of people to be promoted included 2012, 2013 and 2014 and such persons were duly promoted.

“When this administration came on board, they were over 10,000 of them, they were promoted, and I have record to show that we have been paying these people that we promoted.”