PORT HARCOURT (Sundiata Post) – In a bid to enhance the efficiency and productivity of civil servants, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has stated that he will continue to prioritise workers’ welfare.
In an address to the 5th Triennial Delegates Conference of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Rivers State Council in Port Harcourt on Thursday, the governor assured the state civil servants that he would always pay their salaries promptly.
Wike noted that despite the dwindling funds from different sources, Rivers State Government remains one of the states of the country that has paid monthly salaries up to June 2016.
He said: “We have paid workers salaries up to date. We will continue to pay workers salaries promptly ”
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Kenneth Kobani, the governor debunked sponsored propaganda by the opposition that the state was owing workers.
He explained that the state government was involved in the conduct of biometric verification of its workers and only civil servants already verified have been paid up to June.
The governor added that once a civil servant is verified, he/she gets his outstanding salaries.
He assured the organised labour of the support of his administration in their activities. He urged them to always assist the state government to deliver development projects to the people.
He said: “The Rivers State Government will support you in your labour movement in every way that we can. You can all attest to the fact that since we came on board as a worker friendly government, many of the problems inherited from the previous administration have been resolved”.
He added: “We are in the process of eliminating those people that are eating your monies from the payroll . So far, I can tell you that there are people collecting salaries from 4 places. It is quite painful what has been going on. You see how we started, we will ensure that we continue to fight to the end”.
Earlier in his remark, the outgoing State Chairman of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria(TUC), Rivers State Council, Comrade Hyginus Chika Oneugbu said the Union has been transformed under his leadership.
He urged the incoming leaders of the Union to always maintain good relationship with the State Government and Corporate Organizations.
The 5th Triennial Delegates Conference of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Rivers State Council in Port Harcourt had as its theme: “Democracy, Human Development and Social Inclusion in Nigeria.”