Rochas At It Again, Declares 2-Weeks Public Holiday

A statement from the Government House, Owerri, indicated that the holiday will start from Tuesday, December 20 and will end on January 7, 2017.

As part of enticement, the governor gave out bags of rice and some monetary gifts to the civil servants.

The announcement was received with mixed feelings as the opposition parties in the state have flayed Governor Okorocha, saying that the governor cannot simply shut down entire state in the name of Christmas celebration not minding the revenue loss to the state.

Reacting to the declaration of two weeks holiday for the civil servants, the state chairman of the All Nigeria National Party (ANPP), Dr. Vitalis Orikaeze Ajumbe, said it was an indication that the government had no plans and vision for the state.

“This is to show that this government has no vision. There is nowhere in the world where the government declares two weeks Christmas holiday for civil servants which meant that the state would be practically shutdown which also means huge revenue loss to the state, adding that the government did not also consider those coming from abroad that might require the services of the civil servants, so it simply shows that both the government and the civil servants are idle.”

The state publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Byleden Amajirionwu, described the holiday as reckless and irresponsible, adding that the government was obviously naive of the economic implications of its action.

“The governor appears to be naive on the economic implications of such notorious holiday, this action goes further to explain our stand that this administration that this Administration is ruthlessly disorganized and deceitful”.

Similarly, the acting National President of the Civil Liberties Organization, Comrade Uche Durueke, a legal practitioner described it as nonsense wondering how the government could ever conceive of such an idea, noting that it would have a far reaching effect on the people and economy.

“As far as I am concerned it is nonsense because as a lawyer, I cannot go to the court now because of the holidays.”

Okorocha was in the news for the wrong reasons in August slashed the working days from the normal five days to three to avail civil servants in the state the opportunity of engaging in other businesses to earn extra  income to augment their salaries.