May Day: A’Ibom gov increases minimum wage to N40,000

Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has said the least paid worker in the state will henceforth go home with N40,000 monthly, instead of N30,000.

He made this announcement in his address to workers on Wednesday during the celebration of this year’s Workers’ Day at UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar.

He said he increased the wage based on economic reality as well as the lean federal allocations accruing to the state.

Otu said his government was very appreciative of workers even though their industrial output  was only  five per cent which was very poor.

He said, “Government considers its workforce as the driver of lofty projects and programmes for the common good of the people.

“Workers in the state are always held in high esteem to achieve good results,  prompting the payment of salary and pension up to date.

“The state government is presently on the verge of concluding necessary arrangements for the staggered payment of outstanding gratuity to its retired workers. I therefore sue for a little patience from the pensioners in this regard.”

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However,  the organised labour  in the  state have accused the state government of neglect and deceit, calling for open recruitment of employable youths to fill up various vacant positions.

Chairman of TUC, Comrade Monday Ogolodom, said the administration deceived the senior citizens  when it failed to deliver its promise to clear the backlog of gratuities since 2013.

Addressing workers, Ogolodom said, “Payment of gratuity in the state has become a mirage. I recall on the 4 of October, 2023, during the swearing-in of the Head of Service, Innocent Eteng, His Excellency, the  Governor made a very welcoming, sweet and promising speech, saying “before the end of December, 2023 all backlog of Gratuity in the state shall be cleared.

“Today is the 1st May, 2024, 4 (four) months after, nothing has started,” adding that this had portrayed the governor in bad light.

He appealed to him to set up machinery towards actualizing the promise  as some of the elder statesmen and women were dying due to lack of funds for medication.

He alleged that bribes for promotion were now rampant, adding that it was appalling and discouraging for industrious and qualified workers.

He described as unending the verification that was supposed to weed out ghost workers in the state, saying this has denied workers overdue promotions.

He called on government to officially embark on recruitment exercise instead of secret recruitment.

May Day: A’Ibom gov increases minimum wage to N40,000

El-Rufai ignored us for 8 years, Kaduna NLC praises Gov Sani

The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kaduna state, Comrade Ayuba Magaji Suleiman, has hailed Governor Uba Sani for personally attending the May Day rally in Kaduna.

Speaking at Murtala Square, Kaduna, on Wednesday, Suleiman said the last time a governor personally attended the rally was nine years ago.

“Your Excellency, we want to thank you for personally attending the May Day Celebration. Labour has not witnessed the presence of a governor at such an occasion in the last nine years,” he said.

Malam Nasir El-Rufai, Sani’s predecessor, spent two terms of eight years as governor.

While commending the governor for prioritizing workers’ welfare through prompt payment of salaries and allowances, as well as involvement of the labour unions in decision making in the state, the NLC Chairman expressed hope that workers would enjoy favorable working conditions.

In his speech, the governor assured the workers of his support, saying development is about the people, just as governance is also about the people.

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He said governors were working with NLC to come up with decent and acceptable pay for workers.

The Government under my leadership will continue to prioritize workers’ welfare and equip them appropriately within available resources, conscious of the fact that a committed and motivated workforce is critical to the achievement of our Rural Transformation Agenda. Human capital development and poverty reduction will continue to receive robust government attention through investment in education, health, agriculture, housing, micro, small and medium enterprises, as well as support to security agencies as they tackle terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes.

“Nigerian Governors, under the platform of Nigeria Governors Forum, are in consultation with Labour Unions at the federal and state levels in order to come up with a decent and acceptable salary increase for state and local government workers. As a comrade and veteran of the struggle for better working conditions for Nigerian workers, I will not rest on my oars until we agree on a wage package that will put smiles on the faces of our workers.

“As we ramp up our Rural Transformation Drive and implement innovative programmes to reinvent our economy, we seek the cooperation and total commitment of Kaduna State workers. Increased productivity and sustained industrial harmony will help reposition our economy and put our government in good stead to frontally tackle our myriad security and developmental challenges.”

El-Rufai ignored us for 8 years, Kaduna NLC praises Gov Sani

Umahi replies Obi over Lagos-Calabar coastal project criticism

Minister of Works, David Umahi, has accused Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra State, of inciting the people of the South-East to rebel against the Federal Government over the Lagos-Calabar coastal road project.

Umahi disclosed this on Wednesday at a road project stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos.

The Lagos-Calabar coastal road, which will pass through eight other states including the beach resorts along Lagos’ beachfront, has had its construction process commenced by the government.

The project has generated controversy and concerns about funding and the businesses that would be affected during construction.

On Tuesday, Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, criticised the federal Government over the project, describing it as a misplaced priority.

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