Rochas Okorocha reduces civil servants work days to 3 times a week, says Thursday and Fridays are for farming

In a bid to increase the state's internally generated revenue and diversify its economy, the Imo state government has introduced a policy where state civil servants are to work for only three days in the week, Monday to Wednesday while Thursday and Friday, they are to go their farms to cultivate what they would eat. A statement by the state governor, Rochas Okorocha's Chief Press secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, said the new policy will not affect the salaries of workers. Read the full statement shared on the state government's Facebook page below...

The government of Imo State has introduced a policy tagged“BACK TO LAND FOR AGRICULTURE” to enable the state engage and invest heavily in agriculture for self-sustenance since from all indications the state can no longer depend on monthly allocation for survival. The governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha disclosed the “Back To Land For Agriculture” policy of the state government when traditional rulers from the state operating under the aegis of Royal fathers in Agriculture paid him courtesy call at the Government House Owerri on Monday, August 1, 2016. He said, the State Executive Council has given approval to the new policy. Against the backdrop of the “Back to Land for Agriculture” Programme, the governor directed that public servants in the state would now work from Mondays to Wednesdays, and use Thursdays and Fridays for agriculture (farming) while Saturdays can be used for ceremonies. And the directive takes effect from Monday August 1, 2016. However, the governor exempted public servants on essential duties like the teachers, nurses, doctors and people involved in Internally Generated Revenue drive. Political appointees are also exempted from the three-days working periods. The governor added “we shall try this programme for the period of one year, starting from 1st of August 2016 and hopefully this will help. Let me make this emphasis before it is misconstrued or misrepresented, that this does not in any way affect the salaries of the workers. Workers will get their full salaries as been the practice. So the policy does not mean that there will be a cut in salary rather let us now find a way for our workers to supplement their salaries”. He continued “for this reason the issue of annual leave and casual leave is hereby cancelled. Resumption time for work has changed from 8am to 7.30am in the morning and ends by 4pm. Any worker that is not found on his or her seat between 7.30am and 4pm on the days concerned will be summarily dismissed”.