…Abiodun pays N128.3bn pensions, gratuities
The duo of Ogun and Delta State governments have said there will be meetings with the labour leaders to arrive at decisions that are favourable to both the government and the workers.
Speaking during the 2024 Worker’s Day celebration and rally held in Abeokuta and tagged, ‘People First’, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State declared that his Administration had paid a total of N128.3 billion as pensions and gratuities to both Local and State Government pensioners, as his Administration would do all in its power to come up with a decision on the new minimum wage.
“On minimum wage, your ever responsive Administration has done a lot of work, which is aimed at arriving at a position that we can sustain in line with our inclusive style of governance.
“We will soon be calling a meeting with the organised labour leaders to finalise the Ogun State Government Minimum decision”, he said.
The governor added that the State Government had paid N2.8 billion as leave bonuses to workers, with the bonus entitlement for the year 2023 and January to March 2024, also paid by his Administration, in addition to N13.4 billion outstanding deductions that had been paid to workers.
While also noting that his Administration had paid over N8 billion as palliatives to State Government workers and pensioners, Governor Abiodun states that car and motorcycle refurbishing loans had been increased by 100% by his Administration.
Governor Abiodun further added that about 10,982 civil servants had benefited from the loan scheme, with about N1.3 billion disbursed so far, saying his Administration had also consistently provided a N10,000 transport allowance to all civil servants for the past nine months, totalling N8 billion.
For Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, his Administration would set up a Committee to look into workers’ demand for a salary increase in view of the current hardship in the Country, lauding
workers in the State for their support for the emergence of his Administration and for the prevailing industrial harmony across the State.
Governor Oborevwori, who stated this in his address at the 2024 Workers’ Day Celebration held at the Cenotaph in Asaba, added that his Administration had always prioritised the welfare of workers in the State and promised to look into the issue of workers who were inadvertently omitted in the payment of promotion arrears.
“I have listened attentively to your requests and I have taken note of same; they are, no doubt, legitimate demands and as a responsible government, I will deliberate with my team on how best to address them within the limits of resources available to us.
“As a Government, we have prioritised the welfare of our workforce because it is my belief that a happy and well motivated workforce is not only a catalyst for the growth and industrial development of any society but also the bedrock for extended family setting and communal cohesion.
“This administration has already demonstrated its commitment to the welfare of serving and retired civil servants and we will continue to do so through our policies and actions.
“This, we have exemplified by the payment of salary arrears to the state civil servants and facilitation of N40 billion facility to assist the local governments to pay the backlog of pensions and gratuity to local government workers and primary school teachers.
“However, I have taken note that some persons were omitted in the payment of promotion arrears; it wasn’t the fault of government because I was given the full list and I was told that the amount is N5.6bn and said let it be paid in four tranches and it was paid, but since the NLC Chairman has mentioned it in his speech, I will look into it.
“We are determined to deliver meaningful projects through aggressive infrastructural development as can be seen from the numerous bridges, flyovers and road construction and reconstruction, building and renovation of schools, healthcare facilities and retooling and capacity building of the workforce and human capital development in general, across board.
“My administration is determined to deliver economic prosperity and an improved standard of living to all Deltans through collaborative effort and constructive engagement with organised labour.
“Therefore, we solicit your unflinching support and cooperation to get us to this promised land and to the Delta State of our dreams.”
