By Idowu Abdullahi,
The Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has announced the approval of financial assistance for bedridden, widows of civil servants and vulnerable in the state’s civil service to ease the economic effects and sudden life changes occasioned by the coronavirus induced lockdown.
He explained that the approval followed the request and subsequent list submitted by the leadership of the state’s chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) seeking better welfare for workers in the civil service who are down with challenges to assuage their sufferings.
The Governor noted that gesture was to show his administration’s commitment to workers welfare and demonstrate the high esteem in which his government hold workers in the civil servants as partners in progressive governance.
Fayemi, in a statewide broadcast in Ado-Ekiti on Friday in commemoration of the 2020 International Workers’ Day celebration with the theme: “COVID-19 Pandemic and its Social Economic Impact on the Nigerian Working Class”, said his administration will stop at nothing in providing conducive environments for workers in the civil service.
“I have accepted the list submitted by the leadership of organized labour, Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress with details of most vulnerable, sick, those that involved in accident, widows and widowers and approved money for them as a little leverage of government support in commemoration of this year’s May Day.
“As a government, we are determined to play our part at making work and its environment conducive for Ekiti workers. This, we believe is the only way that we can inspire our workers to give in their best in the implementation of policies and programmes of our government,” he said.
According to him, the breakout of the deadly respiratory disease was responsible for the delayed implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage for senior workers in the state, adding that the Public Service Joint Negotiation Council were concluding negotiations on the consequential adjustment arising from the minimum wage before the halt on all activities occasioned by the virus.
Fayemi assured that measures are being put in place to fast track the implementation and to make life more bearable for the workers to enhance effective service delivery.
“Salaries, pensions and gratuities are being paid as and when due. I am sure you have received your April 2020 salary and all allowances due to our health workers who are at the frontline of COVID-19 response have been paid.
“We continue to pay the N30, 000 minimum wage for junior cadre in the public service and have reinstated merit-based appointments to elevate the standards of the public service,” he added.
