Janet Samuel, Abuja
The Special Adviser to the kogi State Governor on Labour matters, Comrade Onuh Edoka has reiterated Gov. Usman Ododo’s determination to build a cordial relationship with workers and pensioners in the State and at the national level.
Comrade Edoka who led the delegation of fomer NLC officials serving under the present administration gave the assurance during a courtesy visit to the president of Nigeria labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Joe Ajaero in Abuja on Monday.
The Special Adviser, who use the opportunity to commend Gov Ododo for appointing over seven of the former and serving leaders into various position of responsibility, described the act as unprecedented.
He mentioned some labour friendly interventions already carried out under the present administration of Gov. Ododo to include prompt payment of salaries to workers, Payment of 100% to pensioners in both the State and Local Government level, Implementation of 35% hazard allowance to all categories of State Health Workers, Payment of six (6) months Health Insurance Scheme for all State workers to the Kogi State Health Insurance Agency as take off for the workforce, Provision of Transformer and the linking of the State NLC Secretariat to 33kva line and High improvement in the salaries of Local Government Workers to 90% among others.
On the alleged report that the State was not paying the N30,000 minimum wage passed into law in 2019, the SA said, “to put the record straight, it is important to note that kogi state is one of the States that is currently paying the thirty thousand naira minimum wage, this is a struggle i and others personally fronted.”
” Therefore as one of you, a Labour Leader myself, | am here with some of the appointees from the labour extraction to sue for a closer industrial working relationship between Kogi State, the Leadership of NLC and TUC at both the National, State and Local Government levels. We believe this will boost the needed understanding and consequently, fastrack development for the benefit of all.
While appealing for collaboration with the NLC National, he assured that the rights and interest of Workers will be adequately protected and promoted under the friendly disposition of Gov. Ododo,
Responding, the NLC President Comrade Ajaero who commended the State Governor for the appointment of past labour leaders said it will be a new era for the workers in the state adding that with their appointment as technocrats, kogi is already in a safe hand.
He praised the Special Adviser and his team for the visit, urging them to remain focus in the pursuit of workers welfare and upholding their credibility
Other members of the delegation include, the Special Adviser on Agriculture, Otaru Abdulkabir; Special Adviser on Information and Communications, Jacob Edi, Senior Special Assistant on Civil Service Matters, Comrade Tade Adeyemi, the Kogi State NLC Chairman, Comrade Gabriel Amari, and the TUC State chairman, Tijani Ahmed among others.
