Workers in Bayelsa State yesterday marked the May Day celebration in Yenagoa with a declaration of support for the ongoing Civil Service reforms embarked upon by the administration of Governor Seriake Dickson.
The workers, who gathered at the Peace Park In Yenagoa under the aegis of the State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), received salute from the state Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (rtd), declared that though the ongoing reforms in the civil service should be handled with care, “the reforms are intended to reposition the public service for better productivity. ”
Comrade Bipre Ndiomu, the Bayelsa State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), while reading the joint position of the labour unions and the Trade Union Congress said the labour unions believed in building institutions that would sustain the policies of government for future generations.
He said: “we are of the view that the reforms are intended to reposition the public service for better productivity. “Congress therefore calls on government to ensure that the reforms are in line with the public service rules.”
The NLC Chairman, however, called on the state government to consider redeployment and not termination of appointment when considering the issue of wrongly place workers at their point of engagement.
“Labour again, wishes to appeal to government to ensure that the ongoing reforms will not lead to the sacking of any genuine workers in service, ” he noted.
Most of the labour unions and its affiliates that participated in the rally including the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) agreed on the position of the NLC Chairman and insisted that the state government should hand down the directive for the payment of salaries to workers affected by redeployment.
“Training of workers, implementation of promotions and incremental steps and revisiting of the physical verification exercise in primary schools should be considered.
“Congress, however, appreciates the setting up of a committee to revisit teachers that were wrongfully retired as a result of the physical Verification exercise with a view to recalling the affected teachers.”
The Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah, who represented his boss, Governor Seriake Dickson, commended the state workforce for their understanding during the trying times of recession, noting that the ongoing reforms and other policies are to improve the welfare of workers.
Jonah said though the finances of the state were yet to stabilise citing the recent shortfall of N700million in the monthly allocation, the present administration would continue to give priority to workers welfare.
He thanked the leadership of the organized labour in the state for their continuing support and solidarity and urged them to sustain the productive partnership.