Segun Awofadeji in Gombe
Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has reiterated his administration support for the welfare of workers.
The governor said that his administration would continue to deepen the existing industrial harmony and cordial relationship with workers in the state in order to improve productivity and ensure good governance.
Yahaya made this pledge yesterday at an interactive session with the leadership of the organized labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC) , Trade Union Congress ( TUC) and the Joint Public Service Negotiation Council in the state.
He acknowledged the support of the labour union to his administration, observing that, the trust and confidence started even before his election as governor.
He asked that such partnership be maintained in the interests of workers and the generality of the public.
He said: “ I wish to acknowledge with delight that labour has been very supportive and cooperative with this administration. On our part, we are reciprocating this gesture, as our disposition is favourably disposed towards the welfare of workers, especially looking at the efforts we made in setting backlog of gratuity we inherited and the efforts in sanitizing the system to improve productivity in the service. We shall continue to cherish and maintain this cordiality”.
He described labour as partners in progress, even as he promised that his administration would not renege on its resolve to better the lots of workers and the citizenry in general. He said the setting up of the 15- member Dr. Manassah Jatau committee on N30,000 minimum wage was a demonstration of his government’s favourable disposition towards meeting the yearnings of the workers in the state, especially wages and entitlements.
In his remarks, the Chairman of Gombe State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Muhammed Adamu Musa who led the team, said that labour would continue to partner with government to move the state forward.
He praised the governor for addressing the issues of backlog of gratuity owed retired civil servants in the state, urging that such gesture be extended to the local government retirees.
The NLC Chairman hailed the governor’s foresight in constituting a 15-man minimum wage committee, expressing optimism that with the disposition of the governor towards the workers, government would implement the N30,000 minimum wage.
The meeting later went into a closed door session.
