Comrade Dominic Abang, chairman, TUC, Akwa Ibom state.
Abasifreke Effiong – Uyo
The chairman of Trade Union Congress, TUC, in Akwa Ibom, Comrade Dominic Abang has told the Akwa Ibom state government to stop publicising the payment of workers’ salary on social media.
Abang made the call on Monday during the 2020 workers’ day celebration held at the NLC solidarity centre in Uyo.
He said giving undeserving publicity to the payment of salary by the state government exposes workers to security risks and often cause a sudden, momentary hike in prices of goods in the market.
It is common practice to see top civil servants and political appointees of the governor publish report on payment of monthly salary to civil servants on social media.
READ : Lalong lauds workers in Plateau for granting govt’s appeal to suspend minimum wage implementation
The TUC lauded government’s response to the outbreak of Coronavirus, calling on key players in all sectors of the state to support the state government in the fight to stop the spread of the virus.
The 2020 workers day in Akwa Ibom state was celebrated low key, with the theme, “COVID-19 pandemic and its socio- economic impact on the Nigerian working class.”
Advertisement
Speaking about what the state should do in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic, Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, Akwa Ibom State Council, Comrade Sunny James, said policies and programmes tailored at containing the pandemic and for economic recovery, must be clear, practical and prudent.
He said the tradition of speculative and trial-and-error policies should give way to evidence-based and data-backed decision-making.
“The reality or the moment demands that Government thinks outside the box
that the price of crude oil has dropped to as low as $US12 amid global supply glut and inflation hovers around 13 percent.
RELATED STORY : Industrialist donates 1000 pieces of nose mask to Akwa Ibom state police command
“It is a sad testament that 20 years after the fight for the abrogation of the on-shore-of-shore dichotomy was won, and the over N5trillion, that has accrued to the State in terms of revenue, we would still be caught unprepared for a post-oil economy.”
James encouraged the state government to deploy a mix of smart policies to keep the economy going in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He recommended tax exemptions and waivers.
“Government should be concerned with measures to preserve income by providing palliatives like tax exemptions and waivers.”
The NLC chairman said it will be illogical to contemplate deduction in workers salaries.
While lauding health workers who are at the fore front of the response to COVID-19, the labour chairman noted the surge in human rights infractions by security agencies.
James said labour will no longer tolerate such infractions, calling on heads of security agencies to advise their men and officers to desist forthwith.
The Commissioner for for Labour Productivity and Manpower Planning, Prof Victor Inoka commended the workers for the role they play in building the state, advised them to take recommended precautions against COVID-19.
>>>>>TRENDING STORY : Police exhume decomposing bodies of three UNIPORT undergraduates in Eleme
Also, the Head Of Civil Service, Akwa Ibom state Elder Effiong Essien noted that the Governor Udom Emmanuel’s administration is committed to the welfare of workers.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of Civil Service, Mrs Ekaette Ekanem, Essien said the Udom Emmanuel administration has demonstrated commitment to the welfare of workers.
The HOCS cited such projects as affordable housing scheme, the on-going effort in clearing the backIog of inherited gratuities, payment of the new national minimum wage with the federal percentage of consequential increment
and with arrears, as efforts aimed to improve workers’ welfare
