From our correspondents
It was excitement in Enugu State yesterday when workers conferred the “Most Labour-friendly Governor Award” in the history of Enugu State on Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
The award, they said, was “in recognition of his administration’s development strides and commitment to their welfare, despite the severe economic crisis in the country.
The state workers, who were visibly happy, noted that the award was also in appreciation of the governor’s sustained harmonious industrial relationship with the state work force, such as regular payment of salaries, pensions and other allowances on or before every 25th of the month, when many other states could not do so.
In his welcome address, state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Virginus Nwobodo, commended Ugwuanyi for his administration’s feats in the prudent and transparent management of the Paris Club refund, especially the use of 100 % of the Local Governments’ share of the fund to offset the arrears of LG workers’ salaries and some pensions arrears owed pensioners in the 17 councils of the state.
In Anambra, workers have asked Governor Willie Obiano to declare a state of emergency on upward review of salaries for civil servants.
Making the demand during the Workers Day celebration, yesterday, workers, under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), also endorsed Obiano for a second term.
State Chairman of NLC, Comrade Jerry Nnubia in an address said not withstanding what the governor has done so far, workers are passing through serious hardship which needed immediate review of salaries.
He said: “Your Excellency, in as much we immensely appreciate your kind disposition to workers’ welfare, it is still very clear that under the present harsh economic situation, the workers are passing through a lot of untold hardship, as what they receive as their salary does not scratch their basic needs on the surface. It is, therefore, our passionate appeal that a “State of emergency” be declared for the upward review of the salaries of the workers of Anambra state.
He noted that “our labour-friendly governor has also shown a lot of goodwill and favourable disposition towards the welfare of workers since the inception of his administration. Salaries, pensions and leave allowances are regularly paid as and when due; this has earned him the nickname ‘The Alert Man’ because workers receive alert of their salaries on or before the end of every month.”
But, the workers expectation was dashed when the governor announced that he would not promise them what he cannot do and that he would only increase their salaries when the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR) increase to N2.3 billion from the about N1.5 billion it is currently per month.
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The state workers, who were visibly happy, noted that the award was also in appreciation of the governor’s sustained harmonious industrial relationship with the state work force, such as regular payment of salaries, pensions and other allowances on or before every 25th of the month, when many other states could not do so.
In his welcome address, state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Virginus Nwobodo, commended Ugwuanyi for his administration’s feats in the prudent and transparent management of the Paris Club refund, especially the use of 100 % of the Local Governments’ share of the fund to offset the arrears of LG workers’ salaries and some pensions arrears owed pensioners in the 17 councils of the state.
State Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Igbokwe Chukwuma Igbokwe also praised the governor for “the transparent disbursement of the N4.2 billion bailout fund for arrears of salaries and pensions of the state public servants” and “the ongoing massive infrastructural development in parts of Enugu metropolis and across the 17 local government areas of the state” in line with the vision to open up more rural areas for socio-economic expansion.
In his response, Ugwuanyi thanked organised labour in the state for the honour and described Enugu state workers as “committed allies in the struggle to make the State a better place for all citizens.”
He noted that “while others are lamenting the harsh effects of the recession, we are forging ahead. I have nonetheless, taken due note of all the areas of concern that you have dutifully outlined and I want to assure you that, despite the daunting economic challenges currently facing us, God who fed five thousand people with five loaves and two fish, will also make it possible for us to address and resolve these issues satisfactorily and comprehensively.”
Imo Civil servants had cause to smile when Governor Rochas Okorocha announced lifting of the six years ban on promotion of civil servants in the state.
The governor, who commended workers and especially the leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state for their perseverance, understanding and their immense contributions to the development of state, said that the earlier ban on promotions for the workers has been lifted in order to boost morale of the Civil Servants and to make the workers to work even harder.
He said that his administration is determined to improve the welfare of the state workers,saying that workers were never owned salaries until the economic recession in 2016 and that he had expected the workers to understand but that rather they had embarked on a strike because they were owned only two months.
“I had never owed workers in the state before the economic recession in 2016. Imo workers never experienced any delay in the payment of their monthly salaries, it was at the beginning of 2016 that I owe worker two months, and the workers’ union embarked on strike action, which had drawn the attention of the national leadership of labour that gave the wrong impression that the government was anti labour and that is not true.”
Governor Okorocha said he was disposed to an upward review of the current minimum wage and insisted “I am aware that the Federal Government is likely going to review the minimum wage and once that is done, Imo will equally follow suit.”