Governor Udom Emmanuel has approved a salary increase of 80 percent for health workers in Akwa Ibom State after a strike that crippled healthcare services.
The increase which takes effect from August this year followed the signing of a resolution between the the state government and the Organized Labour to formalise the approval.
Speaking at the meeting, the Chief of Staff to the Governor/ Commissioner, Ministry of Works, Ephraim Inyangeyen, who chaired the meeting, reiterated Government’s sincere commitment to enhancing the welfare of workers as exemplified in the regular settlement of workers’ financial entitlements, despite the biting economic realities occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He thanked the Governor for granting the 80 percent upward review of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure(CONHESS), as demanded by the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) thus, restoring the hitherto industrial harmony in the health sector.
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He charged the health workers to improve on their service delivery to enable the people benefit, maximally, from the huge government Investment in the health sector. He assured the Labour Leadership in the state of a more robust engagements to ensure an uninterrupted industrial harmony in the state.
In his remarks, the Head of Civil Service, Effiong Essien, expressed his gratitude to the Governor for approving the 80% salary review for health workers in addition to the recent implementation of the new minimum wage and other welfare packages for all workers in the state in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He commended the Chief of Staff, Inyangeyen, for the added push in the process and called on the workers not to relent in their discharge of assigned tasks to reciprocate Governor’s benevolence and to enable him actualize his Completion Agenda.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Labour and Manpower Planning, Victor Inoka, lauded the Governor for approving the payment of the 80% increment but appealed to the labour leaders to always explore dialogue in resolving industrial issues.
In their separate remarks, the Chairperson, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Sunny James, the Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC),Dominic Abang, the Chairman, Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, Tina Essien, and their Joint Health Sector Union counterpart, AniebietAbasi Obot, applauded Governor Udom’s favourable disposition to workers demands particularly, the approval for the implementation of the 80% review of Health Workers salary.
They assured that the health sector workers were motivated to return to work on Wednesday, July 29 with renewed vigour.
The Labour Leaders, who described the Governor as “workers-friendly”, hoped for timely handling of other labour issues. They assured government of continued support and cooperation to enable him achieve more for the workers and the state.
Also present during the meeting were some Permanent Secretaries and other leaders of the Health Sector Unions.
