Economy
Government Reaffirms Commitment To Welfare Of Doctors, Tertiary Institution Workers In Bayelsa
Government Reaffirms Commitment To Welfare Of Doctors, Tertiary Institution Workers In Bayelsa
Government reaffirms commitment to welfare of doctors, tertiary institution workers in Bayelsa. “This administration will not play with workers’ welfare. We will continue to treat them fairly,” he said.
Bayelsa deputy governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has assured members of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and workers of state-owned tertiary institutions of the state government’s continued commitment to their welfare.
Mr Ewhrudjakpo gave the assurance at separate meetings with the executives of the state’s branch of the NMA and representatives of the various state-owned tertiary institutions, in Yenagoa on Sunday.
The deputy governor said that the Gov. Douye Diri-led administration had never treated issues concerning workers with levity right from its inception in 2020.
He said that the Bayelsa government was among the first few states that approved and immediately implemented the current minimum wage, because it believed every worker was worthy of a fair wage.
Mr Ewhrudjakpo assured the NMA and workers in the state-owned tertiary institutions that the present administration would continue to ensure that no worker was deprived of his or her legitimate entitlement.
On the issue of upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Scale (CONMESS) for medical doctors, he clarified that it would be addressed through the Minimum Wage Implementation Committee and directed the NMA to nominate two of its members to be part of the committee.
He decried the situation where some labour unions issue ultimatums for strike in the midst of negotiations, describing such practice as illegal and alien to the extant labour laws of the country.
He said: “first of all, I want to state this. I am not too sure that any labour law states that while negotiations are going on you give an ultimatum or warning for going on strike. It is never done anywhere.
“There are conditions or precedents leading to strike. One of them is that there is a complete breakdown of negotiations. Our negotiations are still ongoing, so your notice of warning strike is not justified.
“Our high-powered Committee on the Review of Implementation of the New Minimum Wage is working round the clock to address all the issues arising from the implementation in the state.
“This administration will not play with workers’ welfare. We will continue to treat them fairly.
“It would interest you to know that Bayelsa is one of the few states in the country that have implemented the new National Minimum Wage so far,” he said.
Mr Ewhrudjakpo directed all state-owned tertiary institutions to pay revenues from registration and school fees to a dedicated bank account.
He added that the move would, among other benefits, help to improve the internally generated revenue of the state.
Douye Diri-led
The deputy governor urged academics not to rest on their oars to produce quality graduates for industry, leadership and academia.
Earlier, the chairman of the NMA, Bayelsa Branch, Wilcox Izibeya, lamented the avoidable exodus of qualified medical personnel from Bayelsa.
He called on the government to quickly address the issue of reviewing CONMESS and the payment of the accruable arrears.
Also, the Vice Chancellor (VC) of the Niger Delta University, Allen Agih, and his counterpart in The University of Africa, Toru-Orua, Solomon Ebobrah, welcomed the policy initiative and called on government to create opportunities to meet more frequently.
Strike: NASU Gives WAEC 7-Day Ultimatum
Strike: NASU gives WAEC 7-day ultimatum. The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) management to address a four-point demand related to workers’ welfare and alleged victimization of labor leaders.
NASU Gives WAEC 7-Day
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos on Monday, NASU General Secretary, Prince Peters Adeyemi, warned that all WAEC offices across the country would be shut down from Monday, March 24, if the demands are not met.
Akwa Ibom LG Chairman Sets To Report Construction Company For Poor Performance
Akwa Ibom LG Chairman sets to report construction company for poor performance. Ikot Ekpene Chairman, Hon. Aniefiok Nkom, has threatened to send digital copies of the Ikot Ekpene – Aba road one-lane construction to Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, despite allegedly underperforming as a council chairman in recent months.
Nkom, whose achievements have been limited to painting the old Ikot Ekpene council secretariat, grading truck parks, and providing limited educational support JAMB forms, made this announcement during a peaceful demonstration by students of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua.
The students were protesting persistent brutality and harassment by officers from the Nigerian Police Force, Ikot Ekpene Division, and QIU, Ikot Ekpene Division.
The council chairman accused the construction company, Messrs CGGC Global Projects Nigeria Limited, of building a one-lane carriage instead of the approved dualized road, referencing Contract No.6569 and Project Code ERGP12141436 under the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, awarded in 2019.
Nkom stated, “For those of us from Ikot Ekpene, you have seen this road. For those coming from Aba, you can see where they stopped the dual carriage.
Now, they are constructing a single lane to Ikot Ekpene. This is what we are talking about when we mention injustice.”
Akwa Ibom
He further mentioned his intention to document the road’s condition with NTA and send the footage to the Senate President, calling the situation a serious embarrassment to Akwa Ibom State.
Addressing the issue of police brutality against Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic students, Nkom asserted that any policeman or army officer who harasses a student without any offense will face consequences, urging students to always carry their identity cards.
PenOp Vows To Comply With PenCom’s 3-Day Pension Payment Directive
PenOp vows to comply with PenCom’s 3-day pension payment directive. The Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp) has assured the National Pension Commission (PenCom) that its members will comply with the recent directive to settle all pension benefits within three working days.
The National Pension Commission has mandated Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) and fund custodians to approve and pay pension benefits to eligible applicants within three working days of receiving complete applications.
Oguche Agudah, chief executive officer of PenOp, speaking in Lagos, said that the directive was positive and could foster accountability.
Mr Agudah said PenOp members were fully aligned with PenCom’s efforts to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the pension system in Nigeria.
He said, “This is a good development for pensioners, Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs), and the entire system.
PenOp Vows To Comply
“PFAs are going to comply with this new directive, which is set to begin in June. We will ensure service levels are maintained, and we will also ensure people get their money as and when due.
“We recognise the importance of timely payment of pension benefits to retirees, and we are committed to working with PenCom to achieve this goal.”
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