Paul Osuyi, Asaba

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, on Tuesday, in Asaba, solicited the continued support and cooperation of all categories of workers in the state for his administration.

Addressing a mammoth crowd of workers during a rally in commemoration of this year’s Workers’ Day in the state, Okowa described the state workforce as valuable asset in any policy, programme and project implementation.

“I sincerely request your (organised labour) cooperation and understanding as partners in progress. We are always conscious of ensuring harmony to bring out the best in the workforce and I assure you that working together, this administration will continue to protect workers’ rights and shall promote incentives for greater productivity leading to greater prosperity,” he said.

Okowa noted that his administration is constantly aware of the sacrifices of workers and their contributions to the development of the state and country, hence, he will continue to seek the hands of labour to collectively attain enviable heights of progress.

He told the crowd that his administration has continued to keep the promises it made to workers with regular payment of salaries and other incentives, adding that when the state receives the next tranche of Paris Club refund, it will assist local government councils in defraying the arrears of salaries owed council workers.

“The state government has approved owner-occupier for the workers residing in the junior staff estate; at the same time, the buildings on the new housing estate on Ibusa road are to be completed and handed over to workers. The present administration has continued to keep our promises to our workers. We are paying salaries promptly, and when the next Paris Club money is received, we shall assist the local government councils that are indebted to their workers to pay off all that they owe.

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“It is important that we make clear distinction between state government and local government. What we do as a state must be seen as assistance because, it is not the duty of the state government to pay salaries of local government councils,” Okowa explained.

He announced the appointments of 9 permanent secretaries and the appointment of Mr. Tony Obuh and Mr. Lawson Efenudu as Chairman and Executive Secretary respectively of the Delta State Pension Board.

He said his administration spends about N1 billion monthly for the payment of pensions, noting that the backlog of pension arrears was much but arrangements were being made to clear the backlog.

Okowa also thanked civil servants for their cooperation in ensuring that the clock–in, clock–out mechanism introduced in the state is effective, stating, “with the clock-in arrangement, we will ensure that only those who work receives salaries.

“I am committed to the promotion of workers’ welfare. I have never at any point, suspended promotion of civil servants, but I urge all civil servants to be committed to their duties and ensure effective service delivery.”

State chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Jonathan Jemirieyigbe assured the governor of workers continuous for administration, while his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Chinedu Nwobodo thanked the governor for the regular payment of workers’ salaries “especially in the trying year of 2016 when the economy was at the verge of collapse.”