…Invites Farmers To Take Loans, Grants
By Amos Aar
BENUE State governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has said that his administration is ready and willing to implement the anticipated new minimum wage for civil servants as agreed upon by the federal government and organised labour in line with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Alia who made this known on Wednesday during the celebration of 2024 Workers Day at IBB Square, Makurdi, said his administration’s respect for labour is sacrosanct and enjoined labour unions within the state and the country in general to always consider dialogue with the government as the first step towards addressing areas of discontent rather than resorting to industrial actions.
On the issue of workers promotion, Alia assured that there will be no more stagnation of people in the state civil service, saying once people are due for promotion and they do the needful, they must be promoted.
“This has not only boosted the morale of the workforce but has also triggered productivity”, he noted.
The governor further stated that the state government was ready for the disbursement of grants and loans to groups and individuals willing to return to the farm for various forms of agricultural activities capable of enhancing self-reliance, per capital income, food security and socio-economic growth within the state and beyond.
ALSO READ:
May Day: Organised Labour Condemns Higher Tariff For Non-Existent Electricity
Workers Day: NUATE Calls For Review of Aviation Agencies’ Condition Of Service
Some Borno Pensioners Still Earn N4,000 Monthly – NLC
Workers’ Day: PRP Urges FG To Uplift Living Standards Of Workers
“I hope all of us will try to form cooperative societies and come forward for this advantage given you. Please, take advantage of this opportunity presented to you on a platter of gold. Form cooperatives. The state government will be off takers for whichever agribusiness you intend to do.
“We will give you the capital. Go to the farm, we will bring you the government tractors for the large portions of land you have. We will give you the seedlings, farm inputs; fertilizers and whatever it takes.
“At harvest time, you will harvest and sell back to us at the rate you want so that you will smile to the bank and the state too will be happy”, Alia said.
As part of measures towards ensuring maximum productivity and effective service delivery, Alia said the state government would like to know every month, who the best workers at the union groupings and the ministries are, and charged the Head of Service to act on it.
“Let this be framed immediately beginning from this month. Let me see the most committed staff, let me know the best behaved and best character staff, let me know the best staff that comes to work before the 7:30 allotted time, let me know the best staff that closes at the exact appointed time, we need to celebrate our own”, he charged.
ALSO READ:
FG Approves 25-35% Salary Increase For Military, Police, Public Servants
Impeachment Rumour: I’m Not Eyeing Gov. Alia’s Office – Dep. Gov. Ode
Tariff Hike: Tribunal Orders Substituted Service Of Interim Order On Multichoice
Pro-Palestinian Supporters And Counter-Protesters Clash On UCLA Campus Over Gaza
Alia said his government is also aware of the rising cost of living and working round the clock to rescue the situation, pointing out that he has already started paying arrears of salaries.
Although the governor was silent on how many months of arrears he has paid so far, National Record gathered reliably that he has paid only one month of arrears for state workers.
He also charged the Ministry of Finance to expedite the payment of salary arrears.
Earlier, the state chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Terungwa Igbe, said for the past 3 years, Workers Day was not celebrated in the state and thanked Governor Alia for the opportunity to celebrate with them.
Igbe, who appreciated Alia for taking Benue workers out of “the graveyard”, appealed to him to approve payment of salary arrears.
“Your Excellency, we are happy with you because people are having their own promotions, people have started accessing their arrears, state government workers have started getting their arrears.
“We are appealing to you that you approve payment of salary arrears today”.
