The Rivers State Chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has charged the Rivers State government to use the opportunity offered by this year’s Labour Day, May First, to retrace its steps and make the welfare of workers in the State a priority.
The ACN in a press statement issued and signed by its Publicity Secretary, Jerry Needam noted the noble and indispensable role of workers in sustaining the State economy but regretted that rather than being appreciated for their efforts, workers have continued to suffer neglect and abandonment in the hands of successive governments.
The ACN Spokesman, Jerry Needam unequivocally accused the present PDP ruling government under the leadership of Gov Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of making lip service a strategic policy of his administration to deceive the working class while party loyalists and supporters are busy cornering all the contracts and living in stupendous opulence.
According to him, civil servants in the State are yet to enjoy the full imports of the N18,000 minimum wage as pledged by government, stressing that what most workers have so far received was the earlier percentage increase in their emoluments by Governor Amaechi and not the minimum wage.
Jerry Needam therefore enjoined Gov Amaechi to start without delay the full implementation of the minimum wage across board.
He also called for an all round betterment of the workers’ conditions of service as regards regular and early payment of salaries, promotion to deserving staff, leave/bonus allowances, clinics in addition to providing conducive and cheering environment for workers etc.
The ACN argued that unless the welfare of workers becomes a necessity to government, democracy cannot be deeply rooted in the State, insisting that a hungry people listens not to reason nor cares for justice nor is bent by any prayers.
The only way to have a peaceful society, the ACN concluded, is to provide for the welfare of the people.
