by crossriverwatch admin
Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State has said that a well-motivated labor will strive to ensure service delivery.
Imoke stated this while presenting two pick up vans, a bus and other incentives to the labor during the 2013 Joint May Day celebration at the U.J. Esuene stadium, Calabar.
According to the governor, the pick-ups were for the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) respectively while the bus was for the Nigerian Pensioners Association.
The governor disclosed that the Ministry of Lands and Housing is developing the cost and estimate for a proposed NLC secretariat in the state while it has also actively implemented the revised new tax regime thereby putting additional resources in the hands of the workers.
He said as a state with a significantly high proportion of its workforce in the public sector, it has accelerated the management of the process of promotion to ensure that deserving workers right across the state are promoted as and when due while the Local Government Service Commission has been directed to immediately commence the implementation of promotion of its staff.
Against the background of the threat by teachers to down tools if the 27.5% Teachers Specific Allowance (TSA) is not implemented by May 2013 Imoke explained that it is being negotiated with the unions and hoped that an amicable resolution will be reached soon.
He reasoned that government does not only support the labor in form of policies and programs, but also provide tangible support in terms of concessions and subsidy schemes which improve the general welfare of the public sector.
These include vehicles loan scheme, provision of laptops, provision of soft loans from banks and home at home program, provision of vehicle to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to improve efficiency and service delivery and the successful completion and allocation of the Akpabuyo Civil Servants Housing Scheme, which is the first of its kind in the state.
He said procurement processes are on completion for another 1,000 housing units in Odukpani, Ikom and Ogoja, adding that Government will provide ultra-modern infrastructures in each of the estates.
Imoke charged workers in the state to work harder in order to bolster the state growing economy and called on them to sit up and abide by the rules and regulations of the service or be shown the way out from the service. He said the sanctions for erring workers would include layoff, dismissal and termination of appointments.
“Bad eggs in the Cross River State civil service will be rooted out. So every civil and public servant in this state has to sit up if he or she does not want to be shown the way out. Workers should be more disciplined in the course of their duties as government is also doing everything possible to make lives more meaningful”, he said.
He admonished the labor unions to develop internal regulatory mechanisms to control the conduct of its members at workplace so as to attain efficient and effective service delivery, stressing that the union should endeavor to ensure that government and other employees get commensurate performance from their members.
Imoke assured that labor will continue to enjoy more support from the state government as it intends to recognize labor leaders in all aspects of policy formulation and implementation, implementation of five percent increase of COHENS salary scale of nurses, medical and health workers.
Others include regularization of pension allowances, expansion of health care services, and promotion of deserving civil servants and assist the affiliate unions with buses to ease transportation and improve service delivery.
The governor reminded labor, the union and its leadership that all their efforts are being made in good faith in order to foster and nurture progress relationship, adding that in the spirit of collaboration and cooperation, it expects that workers would reciprocate in order to maintain the symbiotic and mutually-beneficial relationship thus far.
The State Chairman Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) Comrade Ojom Nyambi, and his Trade Union Congress(TUC) counterpart, Comrade L Usang in their welcome address and goodwill message respectively, disclosed that the celebration was tagged “The Centenary May Day” towards the marking of the 100 years of amalgamation of the country, adding that congress also chose the theme “100 Years of Nationhood-Challenges of National Development” which called for sober reflection in the struggle for independence couple with the challenges of developing a one and unified, formidable, reliable and sustainable nation.
Comrade Njom Nyambi called for the regularization of payment of pension allowances owed its retired members, adding that this would conform to federal government directives on minimum wage increment.
Nyambi pointed out that as much as they appreciate government’s improved pension allocation, gratuity and monthly allowance, there is need for urgent action on regularization of payment of pension allowance.
On the rehabilitation and equipping of the state government printing press, the union urged the Imoke administration to take immediate measures to bring the outfit back to operation.
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