By John Ugo, Awka
The Anambra State Governor
Professor Charles Soludo,has pledged total commitment towards the welfare of workers in the State.
Addressing workers during the 2023 May Day celebration by workers in the state at Ekwueme Square Awka, the state capital, Soludo said his administration would continue to partner the workers to ensure a viable, livable and properous State.
Recall that Soludo had last year increased workers salaries by ten percent.
He also threatened to cut salaries of workers who were absent from work to observe the weekly Mondays sit at home order by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the state and other Southeast states.
He expressed worry that the weekly Monday sit at home has become an excuse for workers to stay away from work, warning that such development cannot continue.
According to him, “You cannot be working for just four days a week and earn full salaries. We must get back to working on Monday to the government. If we do not go to work,we must not get our full salary. We must be paid proportionally to number of days we work. If we must continue not attending work on Monday,we must direct Saturday work.”.
“You must do your work and we cannot be working for 70 and 80 percent and earn 110 percent. We will cut your salaries when you fail to come work on Monday ” he said .
The governor stressed that the state government is determined to pay and enhance the welfare of it’s workforce but the workers and their leaderships must work collaboratively to shore up the revenue base in order to meet all the challenges of the state.
The governor also stated that the state government has been running on N8billion percent budget difficit since the past one year of his government.
He disclosed that the 2023 Budget was predicted on N4 million Internal generated revenue (IGR) every months but the State has been generating only N2bn each month while what comes from the federation account cannot meet any major work.
Soludo tasked the workers to wake up to the challenge of working towards generating revenue for the state government in order to help cater for the workers welfare and othe pressing issues of state.
He added that since assumption of office there has been pressure on him to cut the state workforce and to increase their salaries even as he urged the state labour leaders to study the proposal.
Soludo explained that anything his administration cannot do for Anambra workers must be one that is not financially feasible and assured to gradually and systematically clear the old arrears of gratuity owed workersin the state.
“My government remains focused and it requires reciprocity. Give value to the state and the state will give you value.”
He also expressed the optimism that the state civil service would be digitalized with effective training that guarantees competence and culture of learning towards producing a 21st century workforce by providing steady power, high speed internet, technology and an enabling environment.
“We are going to provide the environment with secured 24 hours power supply as well as laid optic fibre to enhance high speed internet facilities in line with the 21st century workforce.”
In addition, Soludo approved the promotion of workers due for such exercise saying the payment of pensions had since commenced.
Earlier the state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NUJ), Comrade Humphrey Nwafor and his Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) counterpart, Comrade Chris Ogbonna in their separate addresses commended Governor Soludo for his tireless efforts aimed at making the state peaceful and progressive.
The Labour leaders who presented some of the challenges faced by the workers to the Governor said no nation can develop beyond the capacity of its workforce.
The theme of this year 2023 workers day is “Workers Right and Socio-economic Justice”
Trade Union Congress, Nigeria Labour Congress, Nigeria Union of Journalists, National Union of Local Government Employees, Nigeria Union of Teachers among other organized labour unions attended the event.
