May Day: Okowa decries impact of recession on workers.

(By Paul Osuyi – ASABA)

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has once again lamented the impact of the present economic recession on Nigerian workers, saying that more Nigerians are now finding difficult to stay afloat economically.

Speaking at the rally to mark this year’s Workers’ Day in Asaba, the governor more people are now confronted with economic adversity as the recession bites harder with rising inflationary trend.

He said the current scenario posed a serious challenge to government and other employers of labour to keep workers motivated, happy and satisfied.

” The administration has made the welfare of workers a top priority, while working to ensure better relations between the private sector and the government,” the governor said.

“It is in recognition of the unique role that workers play in delivering government policies that from the inception of this administration, we made the payment of workers’ salaries, the first line of charge.”

He also clarified that his administration from inception, has not tampered with allocations to local government councils in the state, assuring that “when our economy improves, we will continue to assist the councils because, it is unfortunate that our brothers and sisters in that tier of government are being owed salaries; for transparency, we included NUT and NULGE in our Joint Accounts Allocation Committee meetings.”

Okowa used the occasion to assure Deltans that his administration will continue to create job opportunities despite the creation of more than 20, 000 jobs within the last two years, adding that his administration was committed to highly skilled, merit-driven and integrity-based public service.

According to him, apart from ensuring a public sector that is professionalism-driven, his administration is committed to zero tolerance for corruption.

“As encapsulated in the Delta State Medium Term Development Plan, we are irrevocably committed to the creation of an effective, efficient, highly skilled, merit-driven and integrity-based public service.

“Our goal is to build a public sector management driven by professionalism, projects performance and zero tolerance for corruption because, that is the only way we can entrench good governance in the polity and needless to say, we need the support and cooperation of the labour movement to make this goal a reality,” he said.

He commended Nigerian workers, especially, those in Delta State for their dedication to duty which have contributed in no small measure to build Delta State from its inception in 1991, stating, “through your belief, sacrifice and labour, we have made great progress as a state.”

He urged workers in the state “to continuously uphold and strengthen the values of honesty, commitment, transparency, fiscal discipline, and excellence in service delivery” to enable his administration actualize its ambitious growth plans.

Chairman of NLC in the state, Comrade Jonathan Jemirieyigbe thanked Governor Okowa for making himself available to the organized labour, asserting that the governor has been very friendly to the organized labour.

His Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Comrade Michael Nwobodo called on the Federal Government to step up actions in checking security challenges in the country, observing that despite recession ravaging the country.