Workers’ Welfare My Priority -Wike …To Pay Salaries ‘Morrow …As FG Promises To Tackle Socio-Economic ills

R-L. Factional State Chairperson, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC, Comr. Beatrice Itubo), Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. (Mrs) Ipalibo Harry Banigo, State Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comr. Hyginus Chika Onuegbu, Secretary to Rivers State Government, Kenneth Kobani, singing solidarity song, during workers day celebration in Port Harcour, yesterday

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has felicitated with Rivers workers over the 2016 Workers’ Day celebration, with a pledge to always make their welfare his priority.
In a goodwill message to Rivers workers at the celebration of the day, yesterday, Wike commended them for diligently contributing to his administration’s efforts to build a New Rivers State.
The governor  urged Rivers  workers to remain committed to the ideals of selfless  service  and  development,  noting that the  process of massive development  being witnessed  across the  state  will be sustained.
He particularly thanked the workers for the unflinching support they have extended to his administration since his assumption of office.
He said Rivers workers will continue to enjoy a key position in his administration because he considers them critical to the attainment of set goals in the state’s development agenda.
Consequently, Wike said that his administration has planned to improve workers’ welfare and generate employment through agriculture.
He made the plans public through his Deputy, Dr Ipalibo Harry Banigo, at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia, while addressing workers during the march past to commemorate this year’s Workers Day.
At a time the country was facing economic challenges, he posited that the need has come to look for other ways to generate income and employment, and that agriculture remain a sure path.
The Rivers State governor, also enjoined the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to close ranks and resolve the lingering issue of factionalisation which is threatening the cohesion and unity of the labour movement in the country.
The governor, said the organized labour could have productive industrial relations in which the welfare and interest of workers are protected under a united front.
He assured the workers that his administration was committed to the provision of an enabling environment for an excellent industrial harmony in the state, and solicited for understanding in the challenging task of rebuilding the state with the lean resources at its disposal.
“Under this administration, the organized labour and workers will find a truly labour-friendly government which is responsive to the yearnings and interests of workers,” he assured.
The state chief executive applauded the cooperation and support of the workers and their union leaders in the on-going verification and staff identification exercise which has yielded positive results through the systematic elimination of dead, retired and even non-civil servants from the Nominal and Salary Pay Rolls.
The governor assured the workers that the slight delay in the payment of April salary was caused by the on-going Salary Verification and Staff Identification Biometric exercise, adding that the payment of April, 2016, salaries and allowances will begin on Tuesday.
According to him, the theme of this year’s celebration: ”The Working Class and the Quest for Socio-Economic Revival,” is apt, as it focuses attention on the critical role of workers in the collective efforts towards the socio-economic revival of the nation, noting that workers constitute a veritable vanguard for mobilization and participation.
Earlier state Chairperson of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Beatrice Itubo, had said the organized labour as partners in progress has observed the downward trend in economic activities, which has adverse multiplier effect on the programmes and policies of public and private sectors of the economy.
Itubo, who lauded the governor for the prompt payment of workers’ salaries since assumption of office, drew the attention of the state government to the challenges associated with the implementation of the contributory pension scheme, and suggested that the committee reviewing the scheme be given specific time-frame to complete its assignment.
Also speaking, state Chairman of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Comrade Chika Onuegbu, said the workers were greatly worried about the increasing problems in the nation’s oil and gas sector which has led to the loss of about 150,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Onuegbu commended the governor for embarking on the completion of some projects of his predecessor that have direct bearing on the lives of Rivers people, and the administration’s use of Bank Verification Number (BVN), to eliminate ghost workers on the state payroll to save money for meaningful projects.
The event featured the traditional march past by the various affiliate unions of NLC and TUC as wells as a play led by the Rivers State Council for Arts and Culture.
Meanwhile the Federal Government yesterday in Abuja assured workers that it would tackle all socio-economic ills that have troubled the nation.
President Muhammadu Buhari gave this assurance at the 2016 May Day celebration with the theme: “The Working Class and The Quest for Socio-Economic Revival”.
Buhari, who was represented by Senator Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, said that the government would evolve solutions to the emerging threats to the well-being of Nigerians and the realisation of sustainable development.
“For us whose main foreign exchange comes from oil, the global decline in the price of oil has further exacerbated our economic crises.
“The resultant effect of this are noticeable in government’s dwindling resources, reduction in operational capacities of most companies especially in the oil and gas sector, threats of workforce reduction by multinationals, among others.
“These developments no doubt, have socio-economic implication for the economy as well as the working class.
“I make no excuses, for this government of the APC is determined to tackle the socio-economic ills head-long.”
According to the president, development must be sustainable for it to benefit society in general.
He said it was therefore, the responsibility of those in power to align themselves with the working class who make development possible, by generating and sustaining the momentum of positive change, he said that the present administration would continue to seek the cooperation of labour, so that together, “ we can attain the enviable heights of progress in our beloved country.