The Labour force in Ekiti State has called on GOVERNOR KAYODE FAYEMI to ensure payment of the various outstanding salaries and promotion arrears of the workers to serve as palliative during this trying period of COVID-19.
In a letter, dated 7th of May 2020 and submitted to the office of the governor, through the office of the Head of Service, the union leaders explained that workers who have been promoted between 2015 and 2019 are yet to receive the necessary increment on their wages.
The letter captioned “Re-International Celebration of Workers Day: Matters Arising From the Mr. Governor’s May Day Speech” reads “The organized Labour wish to appreciate His Excellency fundamentally for your undaunted disposition to the payment of the workers Gross Salaries as at when due which has put workers in good stead to have economic stability and unwavering projection to plan for their survival. It is the hope of workers that this will continue.
“However, the leadership of organized Labour is constraint to raise observations which are very sensitive as it affects the career progression/job fulfilment of our members and their economic well-being.
“Your Excellency, Arising from the foregoing, the organized Labour wish to bring to the attention of His Excellency that the outstanding financial benefits for workers who have received their promotion letters from 2015,2016,2017,2018 and 2019 are yet to be effected, this has rendered the promotions ineffective and unaddressed , the conviction of the organized Labour is that our amiable Governor Dr John Kayode Fayemi should consider the workers predicament on this outstanding promotion and approve for implementation so as to serve as palliative to the entire deserving workers.
“It is not unknown to His Excellency that many other outstanding issues are still begging for the attention of the State Government such as:
Request for special hazard allowance for health workers which is yet to be paid most especially as a result of this devastating COVID 19 phenomenal.
The labour force which include NLC TUC and JNC advised government to inject more fund to the Car and Housing Loans so as to go round the higher number of applicants now that are yet to be attended to.
“The organized Labour is conscious of the Minimum Wage Negotiation which would have ended by now if not because of COVID 19 as claimed in His Excellency speech which Organized Labour believed will be concluded shortly after normal life is restored.
“The outstanding 3 months salaries for workers and two months of deductions for state workers and six months outstanding salaries and two months deductions for Local Government workers cannot be underestimated and should be at the front burner.
In the meantime, the organized Labour congratulated the state government for being part of the 24 states across the nation that would share part of N43 Billion fund released through a performance based grant under the transparency, accountability and sustainability (SFTAS) programme for results.
“The State Government is commended for achieving this feat by meeting up with the criteria set out by the World Bank which include among other things increased openness and citizen engagement in the budget process; improved cash management and reduced revenue leakages through the implementation of state Treasury Single Account (TSA); strengthened Internally Generated Revenue (IGR); Biometric Registration Number (BVN) used to reduce payroll fraud.
The union leaders promised to put forward the economic blueprint that would assist the state government to improve and shore up the Internally Generated Revenue as part of its readiness to partner with the state government towards achieving unparalleled socio-economic and infrastructural development.
