Rivers Lifts Embargo on Employment, Promotions

Rivers Lifts Embargo on Employment, Promotions

DErnest Chinwo in Port Harcourt

Rivers State Government has said it has lifted the ban on employment and promotions in the state Civil Service.

The State Governor, Nyesom Wike, announced the lifting of the ban Wednesday during the 2019 International Workers Day Celebration at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium Elekahia, Port Harcourt, the state capital.

Represented by his deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, Wike 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.

Wike said the state 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,” Wike further stressed.

He also disclosed that state government has started implementing the N100, 000,000 interest-free loan to civil servants in a bid to advance their welfare and wellbeing.

He promised to pay the new minimum wage as soon as he receives the official transmission from the federal government while noting that the Pension Reform Bill recently passed by the State House of Assembly would bring into existence a seamless and positive scheme for workers in the state.

Wike who described his administration as worker-friendly, said despite the 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 would soon be handed over.

In her address, the state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Beatrice Itubo who congratulated Wike and his deputy for their victory at the election, said the election was a referendum on the performance of the governor in the last four 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 (TUC), Austin Jonah, reiterated the commitment of the labour to continually seek improvement on existing working conditions of workers.

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