Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, yesterday, explained that the decision of the state government to approve four work-free days for workers in the state was to enable them get their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, and beat the July 31 deadline for the procurement, as mandated by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

He said those reading political meaning into the gesture are insincere.

Omotoso, in a statement, said the approval by the governor “was in response to agitations by Civil Servants for an opportunity to register and collect their PVCs before INEC’s deadline of July 31, 2022.”

The statement reads: “In granting his approval, Mr Governor made it clear that 75% of the workforce must be available throughout the four days to ensure the smooth running of Government business. This explains why the Junior, Middle management and Senior Officers in the Public Service were batched according to Grade Levels and allotted one day per batch to ensure that no Public Servant would be denied the opportunity of fulfilling his/her civic duty, being the right of every citizen, particularly to participate in the upcoming 2023 general elections.

“This clarification has, therefore, become necessary to debunk the falsehood and deliberate misinformation being perpetuated by mischief workers, perhaps with a deliberate intention of politicising a standard administrative process. It is mischievous and dishonest to read political meaning into a sincere gesture.”