By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Anambra State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday hailed the State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, for increasing workers’ salary in the state by 10 percent across board.

Announning the increase during the 13th delegate conference of the NLC Anambra State Chapter held at the Teachers’ House, Awka, the NLC State Chairman, Comrade Chinwe Orizu, thanked the governor for regular payment of workers in the state, urging him to implement full minimum wage for the state’s workforce.

She said: “Mr Governor, we wish to use this medium to appreciate your accelerated progress and development in Agriculture, one-youth-two-skill empowerment programme, employment of workers in education and health care, massive road construction and many other programme towards making Anambra State a prosperous and livable homeland.

“We appreciate you for the 10% increase in the salaries of Anambra State workers and Christmas bonus for every worker and pensioner in December 2022 and payment of salaries as at when due, we say thank you sir.

“We pray that this cordial relationship between Labour and government will continue to benefit workers in the state.”

Orizu described the theme of this year’s conference, “Building People’s Power, National Unity and Quest for a New Social Contract as apt, saying that the selection of the theme was born out of the need to mobilize the energy of workers and the people for positive political, industrial and social change in Nigeria especially on the basis of a new social contract that can guarantee genuine national unity and sustainable national development.

She added: “This aspiration comes across with the commitment and work of the NLC in more than six decades of her existence to foster solidarity in the labour movement and engage government and employers on values we hold dearly especially issues of good governance and protection of human, social and workers’ rights.

“The state delegates conference being the highest organ of congress in the state serves the purpose of reviewing the activities and engagements of congress in the preceding four years and also provide congress the opportunity and space to evaluate the struggle.

“Mr Governor, sir, the congress wish to draw your attention once again on some specific requests hoping that you will graciously give approval to them: “Full implementation of new minimum wage, congress request our labour-friendly governor to look into the report of the committee to address the issue of minimum wage and other issues therein.

“The government should as a matter of urgency look into the issue of contributory pension and remit their own contribution to Pension Administrators as at when due and put all machinery in motion for seamless operation for the system to succeed.”

The Congress demanded that appointment of Permanent Secretaries should be based on competence and within the Service.

It appealed to the Governor to run a well articulated policy and programme that will ensure quick start and completion of low cost housing for workers in the state, saying that if actualised, it will go a long way in alleviating the accommodation problem of Workers

Orizu further said that the NLC in the state would need an office accommodation to serve the needs of its affiliates, even as she also requested for the donation of operational vehicle for NLC as being done in other states.”

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