Akwa Ibom Government is to enact law on contributory Pension Scheme for civil servants in the state
Governor Godswill O. Akpabio, who announced this Thursday during the celebration of 2014 Workers’ Day at Uyo Sports Stadium, said he would the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to draft and send the law to the state House of Assembly for deliberation and approval.
Akpabio noted “I am proud of the cordial relationship existing between our administration and the workers. Your narrative has been that I am the most worker-friendly Governor in our country. But what did you expect when you elected a worker a Governor? This has been a government of workers, for workers and by workers.
According to him, “The age-long tradition of the celebration of the Workers’ Day is an acknowledgement of the achievements and accomplishments of workers. These achievements and accomplishments would not have been possible without a strong sense of solidarity. As a worker, I believe that solidarity is thicker than politics. I am, therefore, not surprised that as, the Governor of our dear state, I have enjoyed your solidarity and have succeeded because of your solidarity.
“It is with that sense of solidarity that I consider the choice of the theme, “Building Enduring Peace and Unity: Panacea for Sustainable National Development” apt and timely. Peace and unity are the substructure which support any developmental efforts. Those who sow the seeds of discord and insecurity, stifle development and progress in our society. It is our civic duty, therefore, to support the determined efforts of our President to stamp out these twin evils from our society”, the Governor posited.
“Comrades, I regret to inform you that as we stand poised to choose our leaders in upcoming elections, the forces of evil have lately mounted an assault on our peace and unity as a state. Let us hope that this theme would, hopefully, help to steer them in the right path by letting them know that the only panacea to our sustainable development is peace and unity.
“Let us note that after this workers’ day, the next workers’ day would be on the first day of the month that our tenure will end and we will come to the end of this thrilling and successful experiment in transformational governance. On that next Workers’ Day, we would have completed the elections and would be preparing for the swearing-in of your next Governor”, Akpabio stated.
Udom Emmanuel, Secretary to the State Government lauded the harmonious relationship between the state government and labour.
Emmanuel who stressed the need for sustainable development of Akpabio’s uncommon transformation urged workers to continue to render effective service to government.
Mrs. Cecilia Udoessien, Head of Civil Service lauded industrial peace and harmony between workers and the state government.
Comrade Unyime Usoro, the Chairperson of Nigeria Labour Congress, Akwa Ibom Council applauded the cordial relationship between the labour unions and the state government, implementation of 27.5 per cent Teachers’ Salary Scale (TSS), payment of N21,000 minimum wage to workers, 100 per cent car allowances to civil servants and employment of 10,000 civil servants, among others.
Usoro called for speedy refund of contributory pensions scheme to workers, building of Chief Godswill Akpabio NLC Rain School building, issuance of certificates to students of defunct College of Agriculture, issuance of employment letters to staff of AKADEP Rice Project.
Comrade Akamba Awah, a representative of the State Chairman of Trade Union Congress bemoaned systemic failure caused by security challenges and epileptic electricity supply in the country and called for redress.
Awah, thanked the state government for investing heavily in security of life and property, refund of contributory pensions scheme, but called for assistance to build Labour House, stoppage of estimated bills by Port Harcourt Distribution Company, increment of allowances to Mathematics and sciences, among others.