▪lifts ban on promotion in the State Civil Service
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that his Administration will pay the N30, 000 minimum wage to its workers.
The Governor declared that the implementation of the new minimum wage will commence as soon as the State Government receives the official transmission from the Federal Government.
He spoke on Wednesday in Port Harcourt during the Workers Day Celebration. The Governor was represented at the programme by the Deputy Governor, Dr Ipalibo Harry Banigo.
He said: “As a workers-friendly government, we shall continue to do our best to improve the working environment for our civil servants and give priority attention to your welfare and conditions of service. We will therefore pay the new minimum wage as soon as we receive the official transmission from the Federal Government”
Governor Wike announced that his Administration has lifted the ban on promotions in the Civil Service.
He said the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission had already been directed to conduct interviews and effect the promotion of Civil Servants to their next salary grades, noting that he has also approved the recruitment of Rivers indigenes to fill existing vacancies as part of efforts to strengthen the Civil Service for effective service delivery to the Rivers People.
Governor Wike said the Government under his watch is committed to tackling social issues by creating the enabling environment for the private sector to create jobs and empower our youths.
“We are also strengthening our educational system to ensure that our graduates are imbued with appropriate skills and the mindset to become job creators rather than job seekers and will also continue to implement effective policies and programmes that will address and lift our people from poverty to economic prosperity” Governor Wike further stressed.
The Governor also disclosed that Government has started implementing the N100, 000,000.00 interest free-loan to Civil Servants in a bid to advance the welfare and wellbeing of Civil Servants.
He described his Administration as worker-friendly said despite financial challenges his Government is up to date in the payment of full salaries and pensions to working and retired Civil Servants, stressing that his promise to construct befitting Secretariats Chapters for the State Chapters of the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress has been fulfilled and will soon be handed over.
In her Address the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress Comrade Beatrice Itubo who congratulated Governor Wike and his Deputy for their victory at the election said the election was a referendum on the performance of Governor Wike in the last 4 years, noting that the victory was an indication that a large number of the voting public in the state are happy with the Governor.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Trade Union Congress Comrade Austin Jonah reiterated the commitment of the Labour movement to continually seek improvement on existing working conditions of workers.
It would be recalled that the 1st of May each year is set aside to commemorate the International Workers Day also know as May Day the Theme for this Year’s Workers Day Celebration is “Another 100 years of struggle for job, dignity and social justice in Nigeria”.
