The Kwara State Governor and the chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Monday met with top labour leaders in the state, appealing to them that the recent removal of fuel subsidy had been done in good faith to curb further damage to the economy.
In a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, said this is coming following the Governor’s approval of immediate reduction of workdays for the public servants in the state to lessen the impact of the subsidy removal on their earnings.
The Informant247 reports that the state civil servants will now work for three days as against the current five days.
The civil service authorities are expected to release further guidance on the measure, including how it affects health workers and teachers.
The statement reads, “Removal of subsidy is definitely a painful decision that the government had to take in the larger interest of the country. It is the cheapest and most sustainable option available to curb criminal bleeding of the resources at the expense of the larger public,” according to an excerpt of the Governor’s address to the Labour leaders.
“Subsidy regime means Nigeria is running a deficit budget that continues to hurt economic growth and make people poorer. The country was having to borrow to feed a tiny few, while important things like infrastructural development, industrial growth, job creation receive lesser resources.
“Now that subsidy has been removed as there is no provision for it in the budget anymore, the government is open to veritable ideas from the labour unions on how to redirect the savings for maximum public benefit, including pay rise.
“Mr. President and all of us (Governors) really acknowledge the short-term pains that come with the development, but we are committed to making sure that the interest of the workers and the Nigerian people is protected.”
The meeting was attended by the NLC Chairman Comrade Muritala Saheed Olayinka; State TUC Chairman Comrade Joseph Tunde Meshach; Chairman Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Kwara state chapter Dr. Ola Ahmad; Chairman National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners
Association (NAGGMDP) Dr. Yusuf Amuda; Vice Chairman National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers (NUPPPPROW) Comrade Mrs. Medinat Jimoh; as well as the representatives of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE); among others. They were led to the meeting by the Head of Service Mrs Susan Modupe Oluwole.
In his remarks, Comrade Muritala Saheed Olayinka, the state NLC Chairman, said the call for such a meeting shows good leadership on the part of the Governor while agreeing with the governor that dialogue is better than strike action at this time, adding that the Governor should use his good office as NGF Chairman to intervene in the national issue for amicable resolutions.
He said, “As said by you, we know there is a little misunderstanding between leadership of NLC and the representatives of the federal government. We have discussed it holistically within ourselves at the state level that when a negotiation is ongoing, it doesn’t call for strike demonstration,” he said.
On his part, State TUC Chairman, Comrade Joseph Tunde Meshach, said engagement and dialogue are the best options to resolve the issues while appealing to the government to be sincere as they go about the discussion of a new minimum wage for workers and palliatives for the poor masses.
Subsidy Removal: Kwara govt reduces workdays for public servants
Following the announcement of the subsidy removal and the hike in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly known as Petrol, the Kwara State Government on Monday approved a temporary palliative measure to ease its workers in the state.
Mrs Susan Modupe Oluwole, the State Head of Service, made the announcement today, saying the Kwara State governor and the chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has directed that the workdays be reduced from five days to three days per week for all workers in the state.
Mrs Oluwole directed all Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the State to immediately work out a format indicating the alternating work days for each worker under them.
However, the Head of Service, warned the workers not to abuse the magnanimity of the Governor, stressing that the regular monitoring of MDAs by her office would be intensified to ensure strict compliance.