- Labour demand payment of wage award.
Governor Usman Ododo has assured workers in Kogi state of his administration’s commitment to fair wages, safe working conditions, and social security for every worker.
The Governor gave the assurance at the Workers Day celebration in Lokoja on Wednesday.
He promised to set up a committee to address workers demands.
Ododo said his administration is committed to implementing policies that promotes the rights of workers and ensuring dignity in the work place.
He noted that the current minimum wage in Nigeria requires an upward review and assured that very soon, on-going conversation about compensation for civil servants in the state will be concluded.
While noting that the State is making steady progress already, Governor Ododo said as soon as the revenue base of the state improves, more would be done to keep workers happy and more productive.
“The State free education policy remains on course and payment of Senior Secondary School Examination fees has been fully offset by the state government.
“Our new template for payment of bursary to students in higher institutions has been adjudged to be a step higher in transparency and accountability.
“Our quarterly palliatives has since commenced and we shall not renege on this accord until the economic indices that have pushed our people into hardship improve.
“We have embarked on an aggressive agricultural reform programme that will identify and support genuine farmers with subsidy, secure our farmlands and communities, guarantee food security and make our state a major supplier of food and livestock in the country.
“Our efforts to revamp primary healthcare centres in the state has received a boost with a commitment to get them on stream in no distant time.
“On-going road projects and other infrastructural projects in the state are receiving adequate attention and we are confident that they will be completed and put to use by the people of our state sooner than later.
“Our efforts in securing lives and property in the state has been roundly successful with increase in the number of boots on the ground across communities, and logistical enhancement as evident by recent deployment of hundreds of security vehicles and motorbikes to security agencies. We are winning the war against crime and we shall continue to step up efforts to make Kogi State completely unsafe for criminals,” he said.
Meanwhile, the organized labour in the state demanded for immediate implementation of N35,000 wage award for workers in the state, pending when the new minimum wage will be paid.
In his May Day address, Kogi State Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Gabriel Amari, said the current N30,000 National Minimum Wage falls short of meeting the basic needs of workers in the prevailing market conditions of the country.
“We advocate for the immediate implementation of a wage award totalling around N35,000 in Kogi state. This adjustment is not only fair but also urgent, given the relentless rise in the costs of goods and services, which continuously erodes the purchasing power of workers.
“Until the long-awaited negotiations for a new minimum wage are concluded and put into effect, the wage award would serve as a temporary relief for workers grappling with the current economic hardship.
”We urge Kogi state government to align itself with other states that have already heeded the recommendations of the President regarding the payment of wage award to Nigerian workers. By doing so, Kogi would demonstrate its commitment to the welfare and well-being of its workforce,” Amari said.
Comrade Amari also called for payment of weigh-in allowance for workers in media houses, restoration of the 27.5% teachers’ peculiar allowance for teachers in primary and secondary schools in the state, issuance of all outstanding promotion letters to deserving workers as well as payment of the 20 per cent balance of the three-month percentage salary for state workers in 2018.
