Date: 2010-06-04

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kwara State Council, yesterday declared that Governor Bukola Saraki’s administration in the last seven years has fulfilled over 21-point labour demands which past administration in the State had jettisoned.

The State Chairman, Comrade Emmanuel Aiyeoribe, who made the declaration in Ilorin when he led executive members of the Congress on a thank-you visit to the Governor at the Government House, said the Congress would for ever remain grateful for the unprecedented welfare package labour had enjoyed under his administration.

Comrade Aiyeoribe, who thanked Dr Saraki for fulfilling all his campaign promises to workers, especially the recent approval of 20% salary increment, also praised him for consistently operating an open door policy and dialogue and urged the in-coming governor to emulate him.

He disclosed that the Civil Service was completely in shambles at the commencement of his administration in 2003 and thanked him for restoring the lost glory of civil servants in the State as at today, noting that workers’ productivity had improved significantly.

The Labour leader described the last democracy day in the State as the mother of all democracy days, pointing out that it was through the ceremony that workers overheard the news of the salary increment.

He also recalled the promise made by the Governor in 2003 to return peace and stability to the State if elected Governor of the State, saying that he had not only restored peace to the State today but has also sustained its tempo in view of its importance to development.

While commending him on his achievements in the areas of road construction across the State, provision of potable water, prompt payment of salaries, lifting of embargo on employment, training programmes for civil servants, renovation of the State Secretariat after about 40 years of construction and above all, improvement in the welfare of Civil Servants, he noted that the people of the State would never forget him in a hurry.

Aiyoeribe expressed appreciation to the State Government for the employment of 850 workers in the Ministry of Health alone and another set of 1000 new workers for the entire Civil Service, describing it as the highest figure in the State in the last 10 years.

He, however, debunked insinuations in some quarters that labour leaders in the State had been bought over by the governor, declaring openly that none of them had taken a single kobo from the State Government under whatever name.

Thanking Governor Saraki on the settlement of backlog arrears of leave bonus, pension arrears and restoration of promotions, he noted that the coming of his administration in 2003 was primarily to address the plight of workers in the State, among a number of other surmounting problems.

Aiyeoribe pleaded for the release of a government circular on the implementation of the newly approved salary increment for State and Local Government workers, increment in the pension allowance of pensioners, payment of gratuity of workers who recently retired from service as well as renovation of NLC secretariat in the State, among others.

Responding, Dr Saraki praised the labour leaders for their cooperation and understanding with the State Government and assured that government would not relent in its efforts at improving the welfare of workers in the State.

The Governor, who thanked the NLC Chairman for leading the congress in the right direction, said his administration was able to perform to the admiration of all due to the perseverance of the labour leaders in maintaining a peaceful work environment.

He assured that he would look into the requests of the congress with a view to addressing them just as he did for the previous 21-point demands initially put before him. 

Mas’ud Adebimpe
Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State Governor
04/06/10