Date: 2021-08-02

... Says LG Commission now in charge of local councils

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has commended Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for the approval of promotion arrears for local government workers from 2017 to 2020, saying the decision was long awaited and that the gesture would be reciprocated by the labour unions in the state.

The body also appreciated the Governor for allowing the local councils to run independent of the state government, asserting that the Local Government Service Commission is now fully in charge of the councils.

"The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, on behalf of the elated sixteen local government councils' workers in Kwara State and most especially the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Non-Academic Staff Union (SUBEB), wishes to express our undiluted and most sincere appreciation to Your Excellency's benevolence and kind hearted gesture towards the approval of long awaited and cumulated promotion exercise 2019 to 2021 for our members at the grassroot level," the NLC said in a joint appreciation letter to the Governor at the weekend.

The communication was signed by the Kwara State NLC Chairman Aliyu Issa Ore; State President of NULGE Oyinlade Adeleye; state chairman of the MHWUN Muritala Olayinka; and state chairman of NANNM Aminu Shehu.

"As it is being said that to whom much is given, much is expected, the labour leaders in the State wishes to assure Your Excellency that we shall do all the needful to ensure that our members reciprocate this kind gesture with more dedication to duties. Also to continue to be loyal and support this administration," according to the statement.

"Your Excellency, our appreciation will be inconclusive if we fail to appreciate you for allowing the Local Government Service Commission to take full charge of Local Government system in Kwara State. We say a big thank you, Sir. "Your Excellency, we the labour leaders also wish to use this medium to further acknowledge and appreciate the giant stride of your administration in its mission to rebuild Kwara State in the area of infrastructural development especially as it concerns general road network in all the senatorial districts of Kwara State. "Like Oliver Twist, Your Excellency, we equally wish to use this medium to passionately appeal and request for your kind approval of the followings which we believe will not only be a motivation for all the workforce at the third tier of government but will definitely lift their standard of living considering the economic position of the country: Financial implementation of 2018 promotion exercise, payment of salary arrears, decentralisation of payment of staff salary, payment of 10 percent approved Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for health staff in the 16 local government areas in the state as being implemented for the state health workers since year 2018 and express approval for the Minimum Wage Committee to conclude negotiation on minimum wage."