The Nation Newspaper

Tag: welfare

  • Govt committed to workers’ welfare

    Minister of State for Labour and Employment Prof Stephen Ocheni has said the Federal Government remained committed to improving workers’ wellbeing in the country.

    Ocheni, who spoke in Igalamela Local Government Area  of Kogi State, said the Federal Government had inaugurated a committee on minimum wage to fashion out an improved and living wage for workers.

    According to him, the economic recovery and growth plan of the government is designed to improve the standard of living and wellbeing of Nigerians, including workers.

    He said President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has embarked on an all-inclusive economy, designed to improve both the private and public sector and government alone cannot be the employer of labour.

    The government, he said, has invigorated National Directorate of Employment’s (NDE’s) efforts at creating self-sustaining employments for youths in the country through skills acquisition and empowerment with startup packs.

  • Akwa Ibom promises Libya returnees adequate welfare

    The Akwa Ibom State government yesterday promised to cater for the welfare of the eight returnees from Libya into the state.

    Deputy Governor Moses Ekpo gave the promise when he received the returnees who were rescued from Libya by the Federal Government.

    The returnees, who arrived the country through Port Harcourt International Airport on Monday, wore forlorn faces.

    They said they were very happy to return to their state of origin after months of incarceration in Libya.

    Ekpo, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary; Deputy Governor’s office, Mr. Nkopuruk Ekaiko, commended the Federal Government for coming to the rescue of the returnees.

    The deputy governor charged them to learn from the lessons of their travel and reintegrate themselves into the society, advising that there is no place like home.

    “I believe you have learnt your lessons through your travel to seek greener pastures where they do not exist.

    “Thank God for your safety, we have received you back into the state. Government will take charge and cater for your welfare.

    “Be of good conduct to benefit from state government’s welfare package,” Ekpo said.

    Speaking to the

    One of the returnees, Victoria Sampson, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that she travelled to Libya in 2016 when she lost her husband.

    Sampson, a mother of three children, said that after the death of her husband, a woman took her to Libya on condition that she would work to offset the transport expenses incurred on her.

    “I work for 10 months in Libya and paid the madam her N600,000. Unfortunately, when I started to work for myself I was arrested and thrown into prison where I was living on a meal of Macaroni once daily.

    “I was arrested and put in an underground prison for nine months. The Libyans tortured us every day while in prison.

    “One of us from this state by the name Eno died in prison as a result of the torture,” Sampson said.

    Another returnee, Isonguyoh Patrick, a 2012 Banking and Finance graduate from one of the Nigerian universities said he travelled to seek job in Europe.

    He said he was trapped in Libya and imprisoned for four months.

    “After my graduation from the university in 2012, I tried to look for job in the country, but it was not forthcoming.

    “My friend facilitated by travelling to Europe in search of the greener pastures but I could not get to Europe before I was arrested and thrown into prison for four months.

    “Travelling to Europe by land is the worst venture anyone can undertake,” Patrick said.

    He appealed to governments to make policies and programmes that would create jobs for the teeming youths to discourage illegal traveling.

    The eight returnees were made up of five males and three females.

  • ‘Aregbesola ‘ll not compromise workers’ welfare’

    ‘Aregbesola ‘ll not compromise workers’ welfare’

    Ayo Akinola is a Senior Special Assistant to Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola. In this interview with MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE in Lagos, he speaks on the people-oriented programmes of the administration and other issues.

    How cordial  is the relationship between workers and Osun State governor?

    The relationship is very cordial. This will surprise many cynics who stay far away from Osun and theorise about how things should or should not be, or on how things are. We are transparent and that is the major reason workers are behind us. The other reason is because Osun as a whole has not had it this good since its creation. And the good thing about it is that all government spendings are targeted at the masses, the ordinary people, and the vulnerable. That is why the governor has a cult following among the people. You need to come to the state anytime the governor has social outings. He is almost always mobbed by cheering crowds. You’ll see market women and men, children, the ordinary people abandoning their shops and wares to escort him any time he is in town, out of the office for engagements. As for the elite in the services and elsewhere who have been used to diverting developmental money for personal convenience, I can’t say if they love this government, and they are in the very minority. Note that empty barrels make the loudest noise, especially when things are no longer what they used to be for them. If the picture they are painting were true, it would have been a different scenario from the teeming masses. You know you can’t stop or gag them not to express their minds. In this country, we’ve seen when and where a governor or some governors were pelted with all kind of things to register their displeasure.

    You talked about transparency. What do you mean?

    I don’t know of any government in this country that has the confidence or temerity to engage any past labour leader, not to talk of a fiery one like Comrade Hassan Sunmonu. I was a kid in secondary school when Sunmonu then as national labour leader engaged the Federal Government led by Alhaji Shehu Usman Shagari. It was as if we were in a war situation as far as his demands for welfare of workers were concerned. Up till today, I doubt if we have had a labour leader better than Hassan Sunmonu in the pursuit of welfare of workers. If this is the same man the government of Osun appoints to oversee the equitable distribution of resources of the state on a monthly basis, so as to ensure transparency, then, we need to appreciate the head of such government. In other lands, governments stay at bay from labour leaders, whether retired or serving, like, “don’t come near my government” because of skeletons they most often have in their cupboards.  This singular act says something about our governor and transparency. Till today, no worker has accused Comrade Sunmonu of betrayal. I think there’s need for commendations.

    Critics say the government is more concerned about building roads, flyovers and school than paying attention to workers’ welfare. How true is this claim?

    Nothing could be farther from the truth. We are also aware of this assertion, but government is not bothered because it is mere hearsay. People make statements without even making efforts to look into records. At least we already have the Freedom of Information Act which empowers every citizen to seek and get information on how they are governed. Why can’t they go to government to obtain facts and figures? It is because they themselves lack credibility and focus. In matters of public administration and policies, you don’t make assumptions. You go for the source of information and obtain it.

    The truth of the matter, as I often say, is that quite opposite is the case. Let me say here and now that payment of salaries and pensions, in the past seven years of this administration in Osun have, in fact, stunted the growth of this state to no small measure, and this is so sad that our future as a state is bleak if we continue in this way. Let me also tell you that this governor has over-leaned on the side of workers, trying hard to please them, most times to the detriment of real growth. How do I mean? At the inception of this administration, some of us thought that the best thing to move this state forward would have been to ration the work force. We thought, and rightly too, that the workforce the new government met on round would be detrimental to the true growth if we didn’t downsize. The government thought otherwise, to the extent that in other climes, the workforce is the pivot of growth if every single worker contributes value, real value. Look at China and other Asian countries like India. They have huge workforce, in line with their huge population and everyone, to no exception, works towards the growth of the economy. Somebody some time ago, described the average Chinese as a working ant. Do you take time to study the ant? Every single one of them works to the betterment of the colony, without exception. That is Asia for you. Look at the Asian tigers; the Four Asian Tigers, Four Asian Dragons or Four Little Dragons, are the economies of Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan, which underwent rapid industrialisation and maintained exceptionally high growth rates (in excess of seven percent a year) between the early 1960s (mid-1950s for Hong Kong) and 1990s. It was their workforce that brought this to bear. So, a huge workforce is good inasmuch as everyone takes on the gauntlet of work and work, work and work in the private and public establishments. With this huge workforce, we will witness fast and best development. But what do we find here generally with the black race? Consumption without the correspondent will to create. It is so sad. Professor Niyi Akinnaso once wrote an article ‘What is wrong with the black man and Africans?’. It is pathetic that a continent that prides itself as the cradle of human race, human civilisation, human development, in arts, science, medicine and crafts is now the docility of the modern world; it’s now the most backward human race; the butt of jokes of the modern world. The world has left us behind in all factors of development. We are now at the bottom pit. Religion is now our pride which we shamelessly export and showcase to the originating nations, milking and under-developing ourselves in the process in superstitions. Modern religions started in the east, modernised by the west. But, both have moved forward, but we are still holding tight, not to let go because we’ve refused to think.

    To answer your question, we went into government financial and expenditure records and the findings were disheartening. Within the seven years of the government of Rauf Aregbesola, a whopping N200 billion was spent on payments of salaries, allowances and pensions while a relatively paltry sum of N60billion naira went into infrastructure, or what we call capital projects. This translates to 77 per cent to 23 per cent respectively. The reverse should have been the case. No nation develops this way and it is so sad. So, when people falsely declare that Osun government is building infrastructures to the detriment of workers’ welfare, it is laughable.

    A new national minimum wage is in the offing. What is your take?

    I was in this country, though a child, when the minimum wage was raised to N25 in the early seventies during the General Yakubu Gowon military era. Civil servants went on a spending spree, buying television sets which were on “four legs”, drinking to stupor from night parties organised by civil servants, who just received the Udoji Awards. During the time of Hassan Sunmonu as labour leader, the minimum wage went to N125 or thereabout, from a demand of N300 by organised labour. What did we have in result? We had galloping inflation to the detriment of same workers. General Ibrahim Babangida’s military administration raised wages more than six times during his tenure. Did it serve the average workers any good? Why do we like doing things the same way and expect to see better results? Can’t we be creative for once? I’m not saying raising workers salary is bad. But we must be scientific about it. Wages must be commensurate to real productivity, not a sweeping raise where the productive and non-productive workers are lumped together. It is detrimental to growth.

    Why can’t we spend money to encourage the creative industry and discourage going into the civil services? When you pump money into the civil service, you’re encouraging an upsurge in youths going there, which does little to explore and explode their creativity. But if you put money largely into cottage industries, similar to the N-Power initiative, as well as the back to land initiatives which Aregbesola has been engaging in, you’re encouraging creativity and productivity. This is what can take us to the Promised Land, not putting the entirety of our resources into the civil services which engages less than one percent of the total population.

  • Workers, FHA management disagree over promotion, staff welfare

    Workers, FHA management disagree over promotion, staff welfare

    Staff of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) under the auspices if the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies has began a three day warning strike over what they described as refusal of the management of the establishment to effect the promotion of deserving workers since 2011 and implementing policies that are anti workers.

    But the management of the establishment said there was no basis for the strike action as the demands by the workers have been largely met, while the remaining potion of their demand require ministerial approval which it is waiting to secure.

    Addressing newsmen at the commencement of the action in Abuja, General Secretary of the Union, Comrade Ayo Olorunfemi said the workers had no other choice but to embark on the warning strike after series of notices to the management without sincere response.

    He accused the management of refusing to conduct promotion exercise since 2011 for deserving officers, adding that a lot of officers of the agency who retired from service have been  because of the stagnation created in the system.

    The union also accused government of deliberately denying workers in the agency from rising above certain level, while using allocating positions that should be occupied by career civil servants to political appointees, pointing out that retired workers of the agency have been employed to fill positions that should be occupied by those in service.

    They also accused the management of non payment of outstanding housing allowances to staff on grade levels 14 and above, refusal to remit statutory deductions from the salary of staff to the National Health Insurance Scheme and the National Housing Fund thereby denying them access to health care and housing.

    He also said that the management of the agency has also not remitted tax deductions from workers salaries to the appropriate agency of government thereby denying them tax clearance.

    Reacting to the allegations, Managing Director of the FHA, Prof. Mohammed Al-Amin said the agency has set in motion machinery to ensure that the position of a General Manager is occupied by civil servants and not political appointees.

    He explained that the reposition of the agency before his assumption of office removed it from government budget and slated it for privatization, adding that on assumption of office, he advices the government against outright sale of the place.

  • Osun APC: govt’s key role is welfare

    Osun APC: govt’s key role is welfare

    The Osun State All Progressives Congress (APC) has cautioned “mischievous politicians, especially those in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stop deceiving Osun workers by spreading the false idea that the primary obligation of government is to pay workers’ salaries”.

    It said: “This stupid idea is not in the interest of government workers themselves, because it is capable of inciting majority of the people against workers and creating chaos in the society.”

    A statement yesterday in Osogbo, the capital, by its Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Kunle Oyatomi, noted that “government has enormous responsibilities to the entire population of Osun; and these responsibilities are as important as paying salaries to workers”.

    The statement added: “The difference between a failed and irresponsible government and a successful and responsible one is the ability to manage available or limited resources to satisfy the needs of the people from who the government derives its authority and legitimacy to govern.”

    APC noted that “it has become necessary to put a stop to the ungodly falsehood circulated by a few impressionable people who the PDP has deceived into believing the senseless idea that government exists only to pay salaries. Nothing could be farther from the truth”.

    The party lauded workers’ perseverance and urged them to understand the important position they occupy within the establishment.

    It said: “Civil servants are managers of the permanent infrastructure of government, while politicians are the variable executive and legislative aspects that are continually elected by the people to represent and protect their interests in government.

    “Government workers are mostly professionals, trained to keep the engine of government running. And together with the politicians, they are constitutionally responsible for creating, providing and maintaining the economic, social and environmental infrastructure to enable continuous activities of the masses that promote justice, peace and prosperity in society.

    “Therefore, any political party, like the PDP, which attempts to distract or misdirect the civil servants from this fundamental responsibility is an enemy of the people and the state.

    “Such a political party must be rejected and prevented from participating in governance in the State of Osun.”

     

     

     

  • CPC boss canvasses enhanced consumers welfare

    The Director General of the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Babatunde Irukera, has canvassed for mutual trust between Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the council for a healthier relationship in the interest of Nigerian consumers.

    Similarly, he lauded the clamour for more partnership between the council and CSOs, asserting that no government anywhere in the world can single-handedly protect its citizens against exploitation.

    Irukera made the assertions at the headquarters of the council while receiving members of the coalition of CSOs on consumer protection, led by Omoluabi Bode Adeyemi, during the group’s courtesy visit to the council.

    While acknowledging the positive role of civil societies in the development of the country, he said that for more entrenched progress to be achieved, there must be mutual trust and confidence in the ability of each party in the relationship between government and civil societies.

    According to him, “It is a very important thing that civil societies recognise that there is a split at a certain point and the fine split is when you are talking of a place like the CPC, and we are holding each other accountable, not based on the adversarial context but more on a partnership level.”

    He emphasised that “it is important because what will happen is that if we do not have mutual trust and confidence on how we do our work, you will succeed to a certain extent and we will succeed to a certain extent too, because there will be people who will say that we have done well and there will be others, who will credit civil societies for being the conscience of the society.

  • ZTE renews commitment to workers’ welfare

    Despite the economic downturn, ZTE Nigeria Limited has expressed its commitment to continue investing in the economy, particularly in the development of local human capital.

    ZTE Nigeria is the subsidiary of ZTE Corporation, one of the leading multinational ICT solution and service providers in the world.   It is listed on the Hong Kong and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges.

    Its Head of Administration, Yawei Yang, said in Lagos that the company, which started operations in 2002 and  has over 100 employees, has impacted positively on  economy through its viable projects.

    ”We recognised the situation in Nigeria but are going to maintain our high standard in terms of service delivery and our commitment to good welfare package  for our staff. We are among the few telecoms firms that allow all our staff to unionise, we have generous welfare packages that include training and sundry allowances, mobile phone allowance because of our belief in the development of the local workforce,” she said.

    Reeling out the company’s labour profile, she said: “We have not outsourced any of our operations outside Nigeria as some telecoms firms are doing to cut costs. Only 17 per cent of our entire workforce are foreigners and we have   operated  within the ambit of the Extant Immigration laws and Regulations of Nigeria 2015 and all other administrative directives.”

    On allegation that the company overshot its expatriate quota, Yang explained: “Our ZTE China staff routinely visit Nigeria for discussions with other telecoms operators to have good business prospects, leading to the signing of agreement, which, unfortunately, has not been successful since 2014.

  • Workers Day: Censors Board chief assures of staff welfare

    Newly appointed Executive Director of National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) Mr. Adedayo Thomas has assured members of the Radio, Television, Theatre, and Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU) of Nigeria a welfare befitting of their sacrifice.

    Thomas, in his message on Workers Day, stated that without the workers who implement governments’ ideas and policies, things would be difficult.

    He said: “I wish the esteemed members of the entire Nigeria labour force, with special extension to those in my constituency, the Radio, Television, Theatre, and Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU) of Nigeria; Happy Workers Day. The day reminds us as a nation that without the workers pushing the frontiers of the implementation of our ideas and policies, nothing would have worked and could work.”

    While noting the commitment of the present administration to uplift the living condition and work standards workers, he urged Nigerian workers to use the day to reflect on what posterity will say about their disposition to nation building.

    “While our workers struggle for welfare and improved conditions of service, I urge them to rededicate themselves to their responsibilities and commitment to uplifting the nation in their individual and joint capacities.

    “I hereby use this occasion to reiterate my commitment to the welfare of the Nigerian workers,” he said.

  • Welfare, forgiveness, others dominate on May Day

    Welfare, forgiveness, others dominate on May Day

    The Ogun State government yesterday announced the pardon of three of the remaining four workers earlier dismissed for acts that were in flagrant disregard of the civil service rules.

    Announcing the pardon in his address at an elaborate ceremony to mark the May Day, Governor Ibikunle Amosun said: “The dismissed workers are pardoned, they will now proceed on retirement from the public service with full terminal benefits in accordance with the extant public service regulations.”
    Those affected by the pardon are Dare Ilekoya, Eniola Atiku and Nola Balogun.
    In arriving at this decision, the governor acknowledged the mediatory roles played by the national leadership of the labour unions, particularly the Comrade Michael Alogba-led Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT); the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and elders, such as former President Olusegun Obasanjo and respected traditional rulers.
    The governor added that, “the pardon does not apply to Mr. Akeem Ambali because, unlike the other three, he had approached the law courts to challenge his dismissal from the civil service. While all parties await the outcome of litigation, as a responsible and law-abiding administration, we cannot be seen to have taken any action on a matter that is already before a court of competent jurisdiction. That will be subjudice and an affront to the independence of the other arm of government.”
    The governor reiterated that in the spirit of the May Day celebrations, the state government has also pardoned a section of the workforce that unlawfully stayed away from duty in the month of October 2016 and has therefore paid them for that month.
    A section of the workforce embarked on strike action in October 2016 and the state government evoked the ‘no work, no pay rule’ in response.
    The governor added that the state government, in its characteristic manner of always placing the interest of its workforce on the front burner, has ensured the payment of April 2017 salaries to all categories of workers before the end of the month.

    KogiStaff screening: Kogi offerssoft landing to erring workersFrom James Azania, Lokoja Over 2,000 Kogi civil servants found to have erred during the staff screening have been granted pardon by Governor Yahaya Bello.
    Bello extended the offer to 11 out of 44 various offences committed by some of the workers in the state.
    Addressing stakeholders yesterday at the Government House Lokoja, the governor said: “Truly, the screening exercise passed through a turbulent journey, but the state government was able to end the exercise and has achieved a wonderful and resounding result”.
    He said the decision of the government to pardon some of the workers who erred and could have otherwise faced outright dismissal from service, was to reassure the people of the state that the screening was not aimed at down sizing the work force or to witch hunt anybody.
    Bello disclosed that those who benefited from the pardon were 350 staff of the state government, who absented themselves from work for part time studies and the NYSC programme without approval, adding that the certificates obtained by the affected workers will not be recognised by the government.
    He noted that 771 civil servants erred in areas of disparity in their date of birth between the declaration of age, primary school certificate and West African School Certificate, stressing that they have been pardoned, but the earlier age used at the point of entry into civil service will be the accepted.
    According to him, “102 staff are affected by the use of non accredited certificates. This certificates are only required for proficiency and not for career provision, which is again against the service rules. They will be graded accordingly.
    “16 teachers are culpable of employment or secondment to miniseries, departments and agencies where their experience are not being utilized. This category, we offered them pardon but they should be transfered back to the classroom for efficiency”.
    Also to benefit from the amnesty, said Governor Bello, are 43 workers found wanting in improper the area of career advancement and promotions, as well as 103 staff who lack the requisite academic qualifications upon which staff promotion were premised.
    The governor disclosed that 325 workers of the state indulged in multiple statutory declaration of age, adding that the offence is punished by dismissal, but government has pardoned them, as their age at the point of entry into the service will be deemed.
    He added that 336 staff that have attained the mandatory age of 60 years, yet remained in the service, stressing that this category “supposed to be dismissed from service”, but however declaring that they were pardoned but that the funds they earned during the extra years will be deducted from their gratuity.
    He directed the Commissioner for Finance, the Accountant General, the Acting Head of Service and the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to compute the financial implications of those granted amnesty and pay them before the end of the month.

    Bayelsa
    Dickson to workers: don’t
    be agents of destabilisation
    From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa
    Workers in Bayelsa State celebrated the May Day yesterday in low key with many of them boycotting the event.
    Their activities at the Peace Park, Yenagoa, the venue of the event, were, however, monitored by heavy presence of security operatives.
    The operatives comprising policemen, men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Security Services (DSS) were combat-ready to forestall possible breakdown of law and order.
    It was learnt that the security personnel following fears that workers could go violent to protest unpaid salary arrears and alleged poor working condition in the state.
    The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in the state threatened to commence a three-day warning strike Tuesday (today) if the government failed to pay their nine and half month salary arrears.
    Civil service unions were obviously unhappy when they marched past and saluted Governor Seriake Dickson, who was represented by his deputy, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd).
    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in a joint statement lamented economic hardship of workers in the state following a backlog of salaries.
    The Chairman, NLC, Mr. Bipre John Ndiomu, the chairman of NLC, who read the joint address, urged the government to use the second tranche of the Paris Club disbursement by the Federal Government to settle all salary arrears.
    He said: “Congress call on government to note that payment of salaries is a frontline charge and should be given more consideration than any project.
    “Primary school teachers have suffered untold hardship since 2016 to date. Further neglect of the sector will hamper the good intentions of the government in the educational sub-sector as that is the bedrock of the foundation of quality education”.
    He listed other concerns of labour as non-payment of gratuities since 2013, weigh-in allowances of media workers, lack of attention and funding to the state-owned New Waves newspaper, deplorable state of infrastructure at the College of Health Technology in Otuogidi and the Jasper Isaac Boro College of Education in Sagbama.
    In his response, Jonah said the government was looking into all the demands of workers in the state.
    Also, the Bayelsa State government, in a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Jonathan Obuebite, advised members of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), and other workers not to allow themselves to be used by the opposition to destabilise the polity.
    He said the opposition was trying to capitalise on the issue of salaries of primary school teachers to compel workers to revolt against the government.
    Obuebite said the present administration in the state held its workforce in high esteem, especially teachers, adding that, it would do everything within its powers to make life more meaningful for workers.
    But he regretted the present situation, where teachers and non teaching staff at the primary school level were not at par in salaries with other workers at the state level.

    Ondo
    Akeredolu to pririotise
    workers’ welfare
    From Damisi Ojo, Akure
    Ondo State Governor Olurotimi Akeredolu yesterday reiterated his determination to priortise the welfare of workers in the state.
    He saluted the courage of public servants in the State who, in spite of the economic downturn characterised by backlog of unpaid salaries still continue to carry out their legitimate duties.
    Akeredolu, who spoke at the May Day rally in Akure, the state capital, described the development as clear display of patriotism and resilience which has resulted in the achievements recorded by the state so far.
    According to him,“ all over the world, the worker is recognised as the most important factor of production and also considered as a veritable tool of government for impacting the citizenry and bringing about positive change and socio-economic development.”

    Osun
    Aregbesola to workers:
    you shall not labour in vain
    Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola yesterday promised workers that their sacrifice and commitment to stability of the state would not be in vain.
    Aregbesola, in the statement by the Director Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, said the government was well-acquainted with the sacrifices they have made under the grueling economic condition the country is going through.
    According to him, government had at the inception taken care of workers’ welfare because of the its belief that it is through this and the cooperation of the workers that a virile state can be jointly built.
    The governor commended the workers for the resilience and understanding they have displayed with the government in this crucial times, saying his administration is “sentistive enough to recognise their contributions especially in the face of the economic crisis foisted on us certain modalities for the payment of salaries, pensions and other welfare packages.”
    He averred that the economic impasse the country and the world is going through affected the majority of the states’ capacity to fulfill some of their statutory responsibilities.
    He said: “We must express appreciation for the rare sensitivity of the umbrella body of the workers, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), in putting off this year’s celebration in our state as a mark of honour for the memory of the first civilan governor of the state, our own brother, Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, who unfortunately and suddenly exited this world on Sunday April, 23, 2017.
    “The Labour Day has coincided with the state burial. The pains and pangs of his sudden death are still with us. May the peace of Allah be with him in his final abode of rest.
    “We remember with nostalgia, how this administration, at inception, showed ample commitment to the welfare of its workforce.
    “We could not have done less for we hold tenaciously to the belief that it is only through the commitment and cooperation of our workers that we can realise the very noble objectives for which we are here as government.
    “More than six years, we have no reason to doubt that our workers have been dependable partners in our development journey so far.”

    Rivers
    Wike assures civil servants
    of regular payment of salaries
    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has assured workers of the prompt payment of their salaries and emoluments.
    Addressing workers during the May Day celebration at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt yesterday, Wike said that workers welfare would always be placed on the administration’s front burner.
    The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Kenneth Kobani, said: “In this period of economic difficulty, we remain committed to fulfilling all pledges made to our workers.
    “Let me reassure our workers that salaries and emoluments of workers will remain a top priority of my administration “.
    He stressed that issues of workers welfare are given priority by his administration because he believes that the workers are contributors to the development of the state.
    “I recognise the role of workers in the development of our state. They will always get benefits of working for the state “, Wike said.
    He informed them that there are plans to have a robust engagement with labour leaders to address requests presented by labour.
    Wike urged them to participate fully in the activities to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the state.
    The Chairman of the Rivers Council of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Comrade Beatrice Itubo, lauded Governor Wike for his regular payment of salaries and emoluments.
    She also commended r Wike for his execution of key projects across the state. The NLC chairman also pleaded with the governor to continue to prioritise workers welfare.
    Also speaking, the Chairman of Trade Union Congress, Comrade Austin Jonah, said that priority attention given to workers welfare should be sustained by the administration.

    Delta
    Okowa urges workers
    to join anti-graft war
    From Okungbowa
    Aiwerie, Asaba
    Delta Governor Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has urged labour unions to join in the fight against corruption in the public service to entrench good governance.
    He said his administration was committed to a highly skilled, merit-driven and integrity-based public service.
    The governor who spoke yesterday in Asaba, Delta State at the annual May Day celebrations said apart from ensuring a public sector that is professionally-driven; his administration is committed to zero tolerance for corruption.
    He said: “As encapsulated in the Delta State Medium Term Development Plan, we are irrevocably committed to the creation of an effective, efficient, highly skilled, merit-driven and integrity-based public service.”
    Continuing, “Our goal is to build a public sector management driven by professionalism, projects performance and zero tolerance for corruption because, that is the only way we can entrench good governance in the polity and needless to say, we need the support and cooperation of the labour movement to make this goal a reality.”
    The governor commended Nigerian workers, especially, those in Delta State for their dedication to duty which have contributed in building Delta State from its inception in 1991, stating, “Through your belief, sacrifice and labour, we have made great progress as a state.”
    He, however observed, “as we gather here today, the Nigerian worker, like all other citizens, is confronted with economic adversity; more and more families are finding it harder and harder to stay afloat as the recession bites harder and inflationary trend continues; the current scenario poses a serious challenge to government and other employers of labour to keep workers motivated, happy and satisfied.”
    According to him, “Our administration has made the welfare of workers a top priority, while working to ensure better relations between the private sector and the government.”
    Okowa said: “It is in recognition of the unique role that workers play in delivering government policies and programmes that from the inception of this administration, we made the payment of workers’ salaries, the first line of charge.”
    He maintained that his administration from inception, has not tampered with allocations to local government councils in the state, and assured that, “when our economy improves, we will continue to assist the Councils because, it is unfortunate that our brothers and sisters in that tier of government are being owed salaries; for transparency, we included NUT and NULGE in our Joint Accounts Allocation Committee meetings,”
    Okowa assured Deltans that his administration would continue to create job opportunities despite the creation of more than 20, 000 jobs within two years of his administration.
    He urged workers in the state “to continuously uphold and strengthen the values of honesty, commitment, transparency, fiscal discipline, and excellence in service delivery” to enable his administration actualize its ambitious growth plans.
    The Chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Michael Nwobodo, called on the Federal Government to step up actions in checking security challenges in the country, observing that despite recession ravaging the country, government has been consistent with the payment of salaries and staff emolument.
    The Chairman of NLC in the state, Comrade Jonathan Jemirieyigbe, thanked r Okowa for making himself available to the organised labour, asserting that the Governor has been very friendly to the organized labour.

    Imo
    Okorocha lifts embargo
    on promotion
    From Okodili Ndidi, Owerri
    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha yesterday announced to a cheering crowd of workers that the state government will lift the embargo on promotion as soon as it concludes the ongoing verification of workers.
    He said the state government would like to be furnished with the status of those to benefit from the promotion exercise.
    Okorocha, who spoke while addressing the workers in the State during the Workers’ Day celebration at the Hero’s Square, urged them to appreciate all his administration has done for the workers since 2011 when he assumed .
    He reminded the workers that they are the greatest beneficiaries of the free education programme in the State, noting that “there is no more pressure on the workers or on their salaries for the payment of School fees of their children and wards especially when the free education policy is from Primary to tertiary Institutions”.
    The governor also reminded the workers that he was the first to pay them N20,000 minimum wage against the approved N18,000 minimum wage.
    He also disclosed that in line with his vision to enhance capacity building for workers, the government is building ICT centres at the state secretariat and local government headquarters to enable them become Computer literate.
    Okorocha added that the government has concluded arrangement to recruit more than 3000 fresh graduates who are Computer literate into the Civil Service to make the System vibrant, regretting that more than 90 percent of the workers are not Computer literate.
    He assured that he would continue to dialogue with the leaders of the Labour Union in the State to ensure that the harmonious relationship his government enjoys with workers continues, adding that he would remain committed to the welfare of the workers in the State.
    In his speech at the event, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Austin Chilakpa, called for one hundred percent review of the agreement the Labour leaders had with the State government sometime ago over the payment of Salaries, stating that the Labour leaders would continue to demand that, until it is done.

    Abia
    Kudos for Ikpeazu over
    bailout funds, Paris refund
    From Ugochukwu
    Ugoji-Eke, Umuahia
    The Abia workers have commended Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for the judicious way he has handled the bailout funds and the Paris Club refund.
    The commendation was made by state chairman of the state council of the Nigeria Labour congress (NLC), Comrade Uchenna Obigwe and his Trade Union Council (TUC) counterpart, Comrade Christopher Okpara, on the occasion of the 2017 workers Day celebration in Umuahia.
    The workers also lauded the governor for the unprecedented level of infrastructural development being carried out by his government and urged him not to relent and ensure that it gets to all parts of the state.
    Ikpeazu thanked Abia workers for their support, hardwork and sacrifice which he said is responsible for the achievements he has recorded in office and implored them to partner his government to record greater accomplishments.

    ASUU laments poor
    conditions of facilities
    From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan
    The Chairman Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) University of Ibadan chapter, Dr Deji Omole, has lamented the poor condition of facilities prevailing in public universities in the country.
    He said there was nothing to celebrate going by the deplorable conditions of laboratories, and the suffering of lecturers in the public universities.
    The union urged the Federal Government to address the shortfall of personnel cost and other obligations in public universities.
    Dr Omole, in a statement in Ibadan, noted that the present administration has adopted “Maradona style” in meeting the agreements it signed with the union in 2009 and 2013.
    He accused the Federal government of playing politics with the retirement interest of university lecturers.

  • ‘Akeredolu is committed to workers’ welfare’

    ‘Akeredolu is committed to workers’ welfare’

    Babatunde Osho is a civil servant in Ondo State. For  eight months, he had not received his salaries. That was during the tenure of the immediate past administration. Things were really very tough and rough for Ondo State’s civil servants. But that seems to be consigned in the trash can of history.

    Quite recently, the unusual happened. The father of four received an unusual message on his phone; which turned out to be a credit alert.

    At first, he was not sure what type of alert it was. But when he looked closely again, he realised that it was yet another credit alert for his salary for the month of March, less than one month when he received that of February.

    As if that was not enough, he received credit alert for that month’s salary and a week after, there was another credit alert for August, last year’s outstanding salary arrear owed by the past administration.

    As a civil servant in the employ of the Ondo State government, it was the first time Osho would get his salary for two straight months since eight months because of the failure of the immediate past administration to pay the workers.

    Like other civil servants in the state, his life took a turn for the worse as days turned into weeks and weeks into months without any hope of getting his salaries.

    His children changed schools because he could not afford their fees, while the entire family survived on the meagre earnings from the wife’s petty trading.

    For months, Osho, the usually boisterous fellow, had become a shadow of himself. Aside from his inability to take care of his family, the father of four was also battling with some serious health challenges.

    The credit alerts received by the workers, which notified them of the payment of their salaries marked the beginning of a new dawn for civil servants in the Sunshine State.

    “For seven months, we were not paid our salaries. Most of the civil servants had lost hope of ever getting paid. But, with the fulfilment of the promise that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) made to us, by paying the salary for the month of February and the vow that he would not owe workers, I am sure that the hopes of civil servants have been rekindled once again,” Osho said.

    Eniola Ajewole is another worker whose joy knew no bounds when he received the credit alert for his salary.

    It would seem that the alert he received lifted a heavy load off his shoulders. With the February and March salaries paid, he was able to pay his two children’s tuition and meet other domestic needs without stress–a feat he could not achieve for months under the immediate past administration.

    “I couldn’t believe it when I received the credit alert. But my cynicism began to wane when my neighbour, who is also a civil servant, confirmed to me that he had also received credit alert,” Ajewole said.

    The narratives of the duo and many other workers in the state have dispelled fears of sceptics about the readiness of Governor Akeredolu to develop the state with priority placed on welfare of the workforce.

    The payment of the workers’ salaries, beginning from February, has confirmed that Akeredolu is ever ready to keep his promise.

    The effect of Akeredolu’s message of hope during his swearing-in on February 24 to make life easy for the people has therefore started reverberating cross the state.

    The governor, who had set a clear agenda for himself on how to place Ondo State on the map of economic and industrial development, appears set to work with the available resources to move the state forward.

    Akeredolu’s inaugural speech entitled “Journey to Redemption,” had clearly shown the path the governor is now towing.

    Before the people of Ondo State and dignitaries that attended his inaugu ration at the popular Akure Township Stadium, Akeredolu had said: “I come to you this day, with a message of hope, a clear agenda of prosperity and vision of life abundant.

    “I believe the greatest expression of faith in our ability is to be strong enough to look upon imperfections and decide that it is in our power to remake our society to align with our highest ideals.

    “We can rise out of this dust and build a new Ondo State where honesty, prosperity and confidence can, once again, be our self-identity. We can pull ourselves by the bootstraps and shake off our current frustrations and disappointments.

    “We must recognise the need for a cohesive platform, indispensable to an effective and efficient implementation of policies and programmes of both government and party, respectively.”

    With the latest development, it is certain that the governor will take the Sunshine State to a greater height.

    This development is an indication that all the businesses that have gone moribund for years due to poor management of the state’s resources by previous administrations would soon get back on track.

    This is because the governor has assured the workers of his determination to pay the backlog of salary arrears he inherited.

    The ripple effects of the governor’s attempt to meet this important people’s need (payment of the backlog of workers’ salary arrears) will, no doubt, contribute to peaceful co-existence among residents.

    Without doubt, the road to achieving this lofty objective demands co-operation of all, including the civil servants and those in the informal sector such as traders and artisans.