President Muhammadu Buhari has received two chieftaincy titles in Ebonyi State from the Ebonyi traditional council and the South East traditional council. He is now the Enyioma 1 of Ebonyi, a title conferred on him by Ebonyi traditional council of rulers led by Eze Charles Mkpuma during his visit to the state where he commissioned the Kanu Ibiam statue. He was also conferred with the title of Ochioha NdiIgbo 1 by South East traditional council of rulers led by Eze Eberechi Dick.

In his address, Buhari assured Ndigbo of equity in the Nigerian Union, saying the Igbo and Nigeria are inseparable, an obvious jibe at secessionists. The President preached unity, promising to ensure that every part of the country gets a sense of belonging. He lauded Ebonyi State government for its leading role in agriculture.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Ebonyi Chapter, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his administration’s workers’ friendly policies. The NLC Chairman in Ebonyi, Mr Leonard Nkah, made the commendation on Tuesday in Abakaliki, in his address presented at the occasion of the state visit of Buhari to Ebonyi.

Nkah said that Buhari has demonstrated leadership and has shown his love and passion for Nigerian workers and commitment to alleviating their sufferings.

This, he said, manifested through the release of funds to states to clear outstanding areas of workers’ salaries and pensions of retirees.

According to him, “the President has made the welfare of workers one of the administration’s cardinal policy thrusts.

“He has openly shown his resentment to state governors owing their workers and pensioners several months of salaries and pensions.’’

Nkah commended the President for condemning inability of 27 out of 36 states in Nigeria to pay salaries of workers and described the development as a national disgrace.

“Mr President has always identified with the Nigerian workers at all times and has shown enough passion and commitment to alleviating the plight of the workers.

“Mr President, you have spoken out in various fora against inhuman and unfair treatment meted out to workers.

“You are the defender of the defenceless workers of Nigeria; you are the only President of Nigeria who have never minced words as to your position on the state of Nigerian workers and need to alleviate their sufferings.

“For all your workers’ friendly attributes, Mr President, we want you to know that we love you dearly as we are aware that the welfare of workers is one of the major policy thrusts of your administration, ” Nkah said.

The labour leader also commended Gov. Dave Umahi for being labour friendly, which he said had been demonstrated through prompt payment of workers’ monthly salaries and pensions for the retirees.

He said that Ebonyi remained one of the few states that was not owing salary and pensions arrears to the workers and retirees.  He commended Umahi for securing N4billion loan facility from the Bank of Industry (BOI), solely for workers to source, to enhance their economic wellbeing by engaging in other alternative sources of income generation.

“In Ebonyi workers have many things to be cheerful and thankful for, especially when compared to their counterparts in other states.

“The governor has made a policy to pay salaries of Ebonyi workers and pensioners on or before 20th of every month, and this he has religiously kept and I am proud to say that no Ebonyi worker is being owed any arrears of salary.

“He has also improved the hitherto bad road networks, especially in the state capital, making it easier for workers to go from there homes to their offices as good roads have reduced the time and stress of the journey.

“The luxurious staff buses donated to workers have reduced cost of transportation for workers to their offices due to subsidised transport fares, ” he added.