Date: 2015-04-08

2015 governorship elections are here. So are political campaigns of political parties and gladiators. The welfare of workers has been in the front burner. The insinuations that Kwara workers are deprived and suffering are far from the truth. The labour leaders are not docile, we do not compromise, we are doing our very best. The following records speak for us: 

The implementation of N18,000 minimum wage in August, 2011 simultaneously to core service, teaching service, SUBEB, LG workers and pensioners as well as corresponding increase in the subvention to government-owned parastatals to be able to accommodate the payment of the new wage to their staff.

Construction and inauguration of the Kwara Labour House.

Construction and inauguration of Nigeria Union of Journalists Complex (now renamed Abubakar Olusola Saraki Pen House).

Implementation of 50% CONHESS to workers in the health sector.

Implementation of professional allowances to deserving workers: teaching and non-teaching staff of TESCOM and SUBEB, Judiciary workers, Fire service, etc ).

Removal of Millennium Development Goals (MDG) levy/deductions from the emoluments of the entire workers, political office holders and traditional rulers.

Prompt payment of salary on or before the 25th of every month for core service, teaching service and SUBEB.

Training and re-training of civil servants, including in-service training and

study leave with pay for deserving workers.

Training of senior civil servants in computer literacy and provision of

Laptops to enhance performance in their official duties.

Redeployment of over a hundred workers of the state media agencies-

The Herald, Radio Kwara and Kwara Television- to the core service to enable those organizations implement the minimum wage without having to retrench the workers involved.

Downward review of Pay As You Earn (PAYE) effected during the minimum wage implementation by about 38%.

Consolidation of annual leave grant with the monthly salary thereby eliminating the yearly agitation for it whenever it fell due.

Tripartite relationship involving the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), Trade Union side) to ensure a strong and viable labour movement.

Approval for Council IV in JNC to cater for the interest of other unions not represented in Councils I, II and III such as Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) among others.

Salary increase of N3,000.00 for officers on GL 07 – 17 as upward review of the minimum wage for those categories of staff with effect from April, 2014.

Resolution of all outstanding issues of salary, leave allowance and co- operative deductions of the staff in Kwara State Transport Corporation – Kwara Express.

Absorption of 51 laid-off workers of the Fadama scheme into the core service.

Absorption of laid-off casual workers (the drilling team) of the state Ministry of Water Resources into the core service, SUBEB and KWABES in line with their qualification and experience.

Staff promotion effected up to 2013-2014 examinations and interviews already completed for the workers in the core service, teaching service and SUBEB.

Promotion of graduate teachers up to GL 17 including those in primary schools. This rare feat has been achieved by only five (5) states in Nigeria and only Lagos in the South West.

Provision of about N4b as car loans for workers and political office holders.

Sale of staff quarters to deserving workers.

Donation of new 4-units 18-seater buses to the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the Kwara Artisan Congress, the Market Women Association and the Women Committee of the Nigeria Labour Congress.

Immediate transition of retiring workers at the state and local government from salary to pension which is equally regular. All retiring officers at the state and local governments who are able to complete their papers on time do not miss any month’s pension.

Provision of micro-credit taxi to members of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

Provision of 185 units of motor cycle to the Association of Okada Riders.

Granting of micro-credit loan to members of the Artisan Congress and Kwara Marketers Association.

Strengthening of the informal sector of the economy by organizing the Okada riders, Artisans and Marketers Associations into formidable, unified and well-structured entities. The three bodies are affiliates of and partners with the labour movement.

Award of two (2) annual incremental steps to the primary schools teaching and non-teaching staff in February, 2015 to bridge the alleged salary disparity between SUBEB and TESCOM staff.

Pact between the Labour Movement and Kwara State Government not to down-size or right-size workers on account of dwindling Federal Allocation.

Concept of shared prosperity as it affected Kwara workers: Moderate salary that is payable, sustainable and accommodative of more entrants into the system.

Several recruitments into the core service, the teaching service, SUBEB, parastatals and agencies in the last three and a half years; a situation not feasible in many states.

Simultaneous increase in monthly wage bill and pension liabilities as a result of recruitments and replacements.

Security of jobs for all Kwara workers in spite of current challenges.

CHALLENGES

Zenith Bank shares. Need to resolve it once and for all.

Outstanding gratuity of retired local government workers and primary school teachers: need for increase in subvention to the Local Government Pension Board from the current N50m monthly.

Payment of outstanding 50% of CONHESS to health workers.

Prompt payment of salary to Local Government workers at the same time with other workers.

Re-evaluation of retirement benefits of school principals and other workers compulsorily retired as a result of the 8-years circular which has since been abolished in Kwara State.

Weigh-in allowance for workers in media and cultural sectors.

Regular annual increment for primary school teachers which is responsible for the alleged disparity in salaries of SUBEB and TESCOM.

Redemption of N5m pledge to NURTW for the completion of their Guest House.

We enjoin Kwara workers to reflect deeply and sincerely. And judge if we do not have reasons to appreciate God. We may not have achieved the best, certainly we are not among the worst despite the financial situation of Kwara State and Nigeria. Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has done his best for workers. He can do better. Let us vote wisely