May Day: Block All Leakages, Expose Ghost Workers, Gov. Lalong Urges Labour

As workers across the globe celebrate workers’ day, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has appealed to civil servants in the state to expose all leakages and expose ghost workers in government establishments, to ensure a smooth payment of the new minimum wage approved by the federal government.

Lalong made the appeal while addressing workers at the 2019 Workers’ Day celebration, with the theme: Another 100 years of Struggle for Jobs, Dignity and Social Justice in Nigeria, held at the Rwang Pam Township Stadium in Jos the State Capital.

The Governor, who was represented by the Head of Service of the State, Izang Azi, said, “I was a member of the National Minimum Wage Committee representing the Governor’s Forum and I have pledged to stand by the resolution reached thereof.

“We will assiduously work hard with you workers to improve the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the State so as to meet up with the payment of the new minimum wage.

“My dear comrades, it behooves on you, to as a matter of prudence, expose all leakages and bring to bear ghost workers.”

According to him, “By doing that, we would have more resources at our disposal to take care of the very main needs of our workers.”

The Governor maintained that as he speaks, government has paid some funds for the acquisition of land for Civil Servants Housing Scheme and all other processes for the development have reached advanced level, “at the appropriate time you will be notified of the needful”.

Lalong appealed to the Joint Union of Plateau State Owned Tertiary Institutions (JUPTI) to call off their ongoing industrial action, saying government has already attended to some of their demands.

“While other issues that bother on policy review and implementation are being expressly looked into, with a view to arriving at a lasting solution,” he assured.

Earlier in his address, the chairman of NLC in the state, Comrade Eugene Manji, said, “We equally call for the increase in the payment of Pension and Gratuity to retired workers (our senior citizens) as clearly stated in the law.”

He maintained, “Minimum wage goes side by side with pension. The constitution says anytime there is increase in the minimum wage, automatically pensioners should also benefit”.

Also speaking, Chairman of United Labour Congress (ULC), Comrade Anthony Sule, appeal to the government to look into the security challenges and other social vices bedeviling the country.

Sule said, “We also want the government to look into the issue of strikes in the education sector with a view to solving the problem.”