STRIKING civil servants in Ebonyi State would only earn the new N18,000 minimum wage if they report for work, Governor Martin Elechi has declared.

Elechi, who at the weekend took stock of the socio-political progression of the state 15 years after its creation, lamented that it had continued to witness crises of grave dimension, manifested in communal violence and political rivalry.

The governor chided the workers for opting for a strike over the new wage, stressing that since it was the choice of organised Labour to remain on industrial action over issues surrounding the new national wage, only those who report for duty would be paid the package.

Emphasising the “no work, no pay” policy as basis of his engagement with Labour, Elechi, who spoke at the Abakaliki Township Stadium during the 51st Independence anniversary and 15 years of the creation of the state, declared that his administration believes in the judicious use of public resources.

He said: “There can never be justification for paying people who refused to work, and so it is: ‘No work, no pay.’ For those who work, it is full pay on the basis of the new minimum wage law. No matter the coloration and twisting of events, Ebonyi State government never reneged on its avowed decision to pay the new minimum wage.

“It (the government) went ahead to open attendance registers in ministries and departments to ensure that for those who responded, vouchers were prepared and salaries paid on the basis of the new minimum wage to those who remained faithful to their calling.”

The governor, however, noted with glee that the state’s doctrine of attitudinal change was impacting positively on the workforce, saying that Ebonyi public servants were observably distinguishable from their counterparts elsewhere in the country in terms of personal carriage, time consciousness and relationship with foreigners and visitors”.

“Regrettably,” he said, “the state has continued to witness many crises of grave destruction, manifested in communal violence and political rivalry.”

The governor said despite the huge amount his administration invested in the agricultural sector, the returns had remained abysmally low.

“Never before has the government of the state expended as much resources in the training of members of staff in agriculture and in procurement and distribution of farm inputs at subsidised prices as in the past four years. In spite of all these, our output in agriculture has remained abysmally low.”

Highlights of the event included the guard of honour mounted by the Nigeria Police, march past by private primary and secondary schools, cultural and musical presentations, and the cutting of the anniversary cake.