Isiyaku Ahmed
Being full speech of the governor of Plateau state Rt. Hon. (Dr) Simon Bako Lalong, KSGG, at the 2021 workers’ day celebration holding at the Rwang Pam Township Stadium, Jos, Plateau State on May 1st 2021.
PROTOCOL
1. Greatest Nigerian Workers! Greatest Nigerian Workers!! Greatest Nigerian Workers!!!
It is my pleasure to join you my dear esteemed comrades in celebrating this year’s Workers Day here in Plateau State, the Home of Peace and Tourism.
2. You would recall that this significant Day passed last year almost unnoticed due to the ravaging corona virus pandemic that forced Governments the world over to adopt various measures including unpleasant ones in curtailing its spread.
3. Here on the Plateau, we had no option than to embrace some of these unpalatable measures including lockdowns to confront the threat of the pandemic. Despite these difficulties, the common determination and shared action ensured that we weathered through the storm. Today, we are celebrating this auspicious Day physically.
4. Although the pandemic is still with us, we have largely learnt to live in the new normal and continue to work hard in overcoming the disease. The theme of this year’s May Day celebartion which is “COVID Pandemic. Social and Economic Crisis: Challenges for Jobs, Social Protection and Peoples’ Welfare” is not only appropriate, but also very instructive for many reasons.
5. It is a fact that the pandemic almost brought the world’s economy to its knees with Nigeria and indeed Plateau State feeling the crunch. You will recall that this economic distortion made us to suspend the implementation of the New Minimum Wage which was to commence in March 2020.
6. However, despite the pandemic and the harsh economic realities, we commenced the payment in October 2020 and have not stopped since then. Government has officially concluded negotiations with labour on the implementation of the thirty-thousand-naira minimum wage and consequential adjustments.
7. I have therefore directed the Head of Service to convene the Joint Negotiating Council next week for the official signing of the final agreement. We are committed to keeping faith with our undertaking and hope that labour will also keep its own side of the bargain by showing understanding at all times.
8. In appreciation to Labour for their support and as an expression of our goodwill, we approved the purchase of land along Rafiki, in Bassa LGA for the Civil Servants Housing Scheme. This is part of ensuring that our workers have access to affordable and decent shelter as well as own their houses instead of being tenants.
9. To also demonstrate our commitment to providing conducive accommodation for workers, my administration will ensure the completion of the State Secretariat renovation.
10. The administration has also approved the purchase of the former CBN quarters at Wase Road to be used as the new office of the Accountant General “Treasury House”.
11. We are also carrying out various projects in roads, schools, hospitals, among others across the 17 Local Governments. This is in addition to completing many inherited and abandoned projects that are scattered across the State.
12. These achievements would not have been possible without the remarkable cooperation of the Organised Labour and the synergy that has continued to grow between the various Unions and Government. Indeed, we have a dynamic work force that we are proud of.
13. We are highly appreciative of our workers and shall continue to ensure a harmonious government-labour relationship despite the attempt by some politicians and vested interests to come between us and use the labour to antagonise the Government with a view to discrediting it.
14. This desperate attempt was clearly demonstrated during the agitation over implementation of the minimum wage by Local Government workers where the agitation was hijacked by people that are not even civil servants who went on blocking roads and engaging in acts that threatened the lives and safety of the people.
15. Luckily, majority of the civil servants rejected the antics of these vested interests and refused to participate in what was later to be isolated as a desperate attempt to exploit the labour for selfish reasons.
16. At the end, the truth has been revealed and everyone knows that Governor Lalong and the Rescue Administration does not owe Local Government workers.
17. Now that Local Government autonomy has been implemented, employees of that tier of Government need to channel their grievances to the appropriate quarters and prevail on their employers to do the needful. On our part, we shall continue to work in solidarity to ensure that we boost the economic prosperity of the State so that everyone can benefit.
18. That is one of the reasons why we have strengthened the Plateau State Internal Revenue Service and charged it to ensure our Internally Generated Revenue is improved. We have also called on all MDAs to avoid wastages and ensure the prudent utilization of scarce resources.
19. Determined to provide access to affordable healthcare to civil servants in the State, Government has established and funded the Plateau State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency. I am happy to announce that this programme has commenced with its launch in Jengre.
20. With this launch, civil servants and other citizens that have enrolled, and their families can access affordable healthcare as obtainable in other advanced Countries.
21. In recognition of the burden and hardship faced by workers when they retire due to lack of timely payment of gratuity and pension mostly due to dwindling resources, I have approved that the State keys into the Contributory Pension Scheme.
22. To actualise this, an Executive Bill has been forwarded to the State House of Assembly for consideration. When passed into law, it will ensure prompt payment of retirement benefits to our workers.
23. Also worried by the increasing wage bill despite exit from the service due to retirements, transfers of service, secondments, leave of absence, deaths etc, we constituted a High-Powered Committee on Staff Audit and Verification under the Chairmanship of Nde John Gobak OFR, mni. I believe that on completion of its assignment, Government will ascertain the actual number of workers on its payroll.
24. This will also facilitate the completion of employment exercise for which interviews were conducted as well as promotion of deserving workers. I urge you all to cooperate with the Committee as it carries out its assignment.
25. As you celebrate this year’s Workers’ Day, I urge you to continue to support the three-points pillar policy thrust of this Administration towards sustainable development.
26. I enjoin the workers not to be willing tools in the hands of some mischief-makers whose stock-in trade is to disseminate falsehood aimed at de-marketing our State and castigating our modest achievements.
27. We are determined to continue to consolidate on the peace and security of the State so as to attract more investors who will create jobs and assist us combat unemployment.
Government cannot provide enough jobs to go round the teeming youth population roaming the Streets. The private sector is the answer.
28. Just this week Wednesday, the State Executive Council approved the purchase of 50 patrol vehicles and 200 security motorcycles to enable the security agencies deploy effectively across the entire State and respond appropriately to any threat to security.
29. We call on our people to rise up and join hands to fight insecurity that is threatening the existence of this nation. Security is the business of all and we cannot succeed without working together.
30. Finally, I wish to call on members of JUSUN and PASAN to call off their strike as the issues of autonomy for the Judiciary and Legislature have been resolved and implementation is about to start. In Plateau, we have already started by putting in place the machinery for implementation. Last week I was in Abuja where several meetings were held and final resolutions reached. All Governors including myself have agreed to implement autonomy.
31. I also appeal to the members of ASUP to call off their strike so that we can sit down and resolve the grievances they have. Our children have been at home for a long time due to COVID-19 and another long stay at home will further worsen their academic woes and jeopardise their future.
32. On this note, I once again congratulate you for marking yet another special day where we pause and celebrate our workers who continue to toil making enormous sacrifices for the development of our State and nation at large. I wish you all happy Workers’ Day.
33. God bless Nigerian Workers, God bless Plateau State, and the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
ALUTA CONTINUA, VICTORIA ACERTA!
Rt. Hon. (Dr) Simon Bako Lalong, KSGG
Executive Governor, Plateau State.
1st May 2021.
