From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State on Wednesday hinted that his administration would set up a committee to look into workers’ demand for salary increase in view of the current hardship in the country.
The planned setting up of the committee is coming even as the organised labour in the state appealed to the governor to consider paying a total of N800 million promotion arrears to workers who were omitted in the recent disbursement of N5.6 billion.
At the rally organised in Asaba in commemoration of the 2024 May Day, state chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Goodluck Ofobruku and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Martin Bolum, lauded Oborevwori for his administration’s commitment to the welfare of workers and pensioners, and urged him to continue to keep his campaign promises.
Oborevwori, in his speech, commended workers in the state for their support for the emergence of his administration and for the prevailing industrial harmony across the state.
He said his administration had always prioritised the welfare of workers in the state and promised to look into the issue of workers who were inadvertently omitted in the payment of promotion arrears.
“As a government, we have prioritised the welfare of our workforce because it is my belief that a happy and well motivated workforce is not only a catalyst for the growth and industrial development of any society but also the bedrock for extended family setting and communal cohesion.
“This administration has already demonstrated its commitment to the welfare of serving and retired civil servants and we will continue to do so through our policies and actions.
“This, we have exemplified by the payment of salary arrears to the state civil servants and facilitation of N40 billion facility to assist the local governments to pay the backlog of pensions and gratuity to local government workers and primary school teachers.
“However, I have taken note that some persons were omitted in the payment of promotion arrears; it wasn’t the fault of government because I was given the full list and I was told that the amount is N5.6 billion and said let it be paid in four tranches and it was paid, but since the NLC Chairman has mentioned it in his speech, I will look into it.
“We are determined to deliver meaningful projects through aggressive infrastructural development as can be seen from the numerous bridges, flyovers and road construction and reconstruction, building and renovation of schools, healthcare facilities and retooling and capacity building of the workforce and human capital development in general, across board.
“My administration is determined to deliver economic prosperity and an improved standard of living to all Deltans through collaborative effort and constructive engagement with organised labour.
“Therefore, we solicit your unflinching support and cooperation to get us to this promised land and to the Delta State of our dreams,” he said.