Ifeanyichukwuma Odii, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi in the upcoming governorship election, has promised to prioritise the welfare of workers if elected.

The PDP standard-bearer made the promise when he met recently with the workers at the party’s governorship campaign office in Abakaliki.

The outcome of the meeting is contained in a statement issued in Abakaliki by Abia Onyike, the spokesperson for the PDP Governorship Campaign Council (GCC).

Mr Onyeike quoted Mr Odii as saying that workers are prominent capital in developing any nation, given their ability to create wealth.

He assured that all welfare benefits due for the workers would be paid while all statutory allowances allegedly stopped would be restored.

“Ebonyi workers will smile again because workers’ gratuity, their salary increment and their leave allowance will be restored.

“There are happy days ahead, and the time to sit on workers’ promotion and other statutory fringe benefits is over,” Mr Odii said.

The PDP flag bearer said that Ebonyi workers were among the most disenchanted group of citizens in the country because of the economic deprivation they were subjected to.

Mr Odii, a businessman, said it was unfortunate that Ebonyi was rated as one of the poorest states in the country because of the lack of ingenuity in wealth creation by its leaders.

“They don’t know how to create wealth; they can’t give what they don’t have,” he said.

Mr Odii’s government, according to Mr Onyeike, will build an independent and accelerated economy in the state.

“There is poverty because we have not elected those who understand good governance, which is the demand of the people.

“I stand against inhumanity, injustice and poverty. I’m here to liberate Ebonyi; to make Ebonyi people proud, to restore dignity and trust, to rebuild the confidence of the people in government”, he said.

(NAN)