As the world celebrated the 2023 International Workers Day on 1st May, Plateau Governor joined workers of his state to mark the day at the Rwang Pam Township Stadium Jos, where he blew his trumpet.
As the governor addressed workers, who converged for the event from across the state, he listed his achievements during his 8-year tenure saying he was not only able to clear the backlog of salary arrears he inherited from the previous administration but was the first Governor to implement the minimum wage, admid the Covid-19 pandemic and harsh economic challenges.
He received the salute from an avalanche of workers’ unions clad in colourful regalia and ‘asheobi’ who displayed march pasts and dances.
In his remarks, Governor Lalong who was the Special Guest of Honour said he was highly honoured to mark the valedictory appearance, as the last before he exits office in May 29th.
The theme for the 2023 Workers Day is “Workers Right and Socio-economic Justice”.
Lalong said: “You will recall that on coming into office, I assured you that the era of salary arrears will be a thing of the past. We immediately paid 5 months withheld wages under no-work-no-pay policy and cleared inherited salary arrears of 8 months from the past administration. The same story applied to pension arrears of over 10 months which we equally cleared”.
“Little wonder, you the comrades of Plateau State gave me the title of “Governor Alert” which was affirmed and endorsed by the NLC under the leadership of immediate past President Comrade Ayuba Wabba. Today, it is with joy and thanksgiving to God that we are at the verge of fulfilling the promise I made to you which I must confess has not been easy to fulfill. But because of my passion for the workers, I have done everything possible to put smiles on your faces every month”.
“I am sure that you have not also forgotten that despite the pandemic and the harsh economic realities, my administration was among the first in the country to begin the implementation of the thirty thousand naira minimum wage and consequential adjustments”.
He said his Administration in collaboration with the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria also provided home renovation loan to over 2,500 civil servants in the approximate sum of three million naira each across Ministries, Departments and Agencies to ease housing challenges they face, in addition to the assistance by government to the Nigeria Labour Congress in the purchase of the land for the NLC Housing Project in Jebbu Miango, with some blocks already completed and to be commissioned before he leaves office.
According to Lalong: “My administration still remains among the first and few in the country to grant financial autonomy to the Local Governments, the Judiciary, as well as Legislature. All these we did with a view to enhancing good governance, democracy and improving the welfare of our workers”.
He also listed access to affordable healthcare to civil servants in the state through the Plateau State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (PLASCHEMA).
Lalong said worried by the increasing wage bill despite exit from the service due to retirement, transfer of service, secondment, leave of absence, death etc, his administration constituted a high-powered committee on Staff Audit and Verification, and the subsequent White Paper revealed so many challenges in the system with many top officials resigning due to age falsification and other illegal acts. While his government was also able to ascertain the actual staff strength of the state, and identify the areas of need which has led to the approval for replacements and recruitments that were conducted recently in all MDAs and tertiary institutions.
On training, Lalong disclosed that his government through the Office of the Head of Civil Service in collaboration with GIZ, Jos Business School, and Absha Digital Access, has trained over three hundred Civil Servants across all cadres in the last two years to build the capacity of workers.
“As part of government’s commitment to create a conducive working environment for civil servants, the State Executive Council also approved the domestication of 6 months maternity leave for reproductive, pregnant and lactating female mothers and 14 days paternity leave for serving male civil servants. Government will soon Commission a crèche at the Joseph Gomwalk Secretariat that will properly take care of these babies at the end of the six months’ maternity leave,” he added.
He appreciated the cooperation of the Organised Labour for enabling his administration to have a dynamic workforce and praised the leadership of the Plateau State House of Assembly and the House Committee on Labour and Finance for arranging the public hearing on the Contributory Pension Scheme which will go a long way in addressing the issue of pension and gratuities.
The governor used the forum to advise civil servants and other stakeholders to give the incoming administration the kind of support and cooperation they gave his government.
Presenting a joint statement of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Unions Congress (TUC), Chairman NLC Plateau State, Comrade Eugene Manji commended the governor for spearheading many welfare packages for workers in the state including the health insurance and housing scheme.
He called for government’s support to subsidise the housing scheme rates to enable workers afford, as well as implementation of the 65 years retirement age for teachers.
Guest Speaker, Director of Research and Planning, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Prof. Pam Dung Sha, lamented the poor wages of Nigerian workers despite the nations enormous wealth, noting that there is injustice and inequality in the system concerning wages, taxation, judicial system, and rights of workers.
He urged workers to know their rights as enshrined in International Labour Organisation (ILO) and NLC laws to prevent violation of workers’ rights in the workplace.
He frowned at how some companies and organisations do not allow their workers to join labour unions. And commended Governor Lalong for coming on board in 2015 to offset all salary arrears.
He also tasked the Governor to leave behind a great legacy by fulfilling other promises made to workers while advising the incoming government at the state and federal levels to correct all injustices in wages, and allowances, and ensure improvement in working conditions at government ministries and workplaces.
Leader of civil societies in the state, Mr. Steve Aluko, called for observance of a minute silence for people who lost their lives in attacks and killings in parts of the state.
He urged the present administration to write its name in gold by ensuring that the Gender and Equal Opportunities (GEO) Laws and Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Laws which are critical to CSOs are domesticated.
