Akwa Ibom Gov’t Takes Step To Avert Labour Crises

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Udom Gabriel Emmanuel has inaugurated a special committee to appraise and iron out issues of discontent within the labour sector in the state.

The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Ini Ememobong announced the constitution of the “Labour Issues Negotiation Committee” in a press release issued on Friday, November 6, 2020,

According to the statement, the committee is a joint government and labour committee to “negotiate issues affecting the Labour force” in the state.

The committee is headed on the government side by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Akparawa Ephraim Inyang-eyen who is to be assisted by the Head of the Civil Service, Elder Efiong Essien and the Commissioner for Labour and Manpower Planning, Hon. Pastor Sunny Ibuot.

The Labour side will be led by the chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Akwa Ibom State, Comrade Sunny James who will be assisted by the NLC Secretary, Comrade Iboro Ibara; NLC Treasurer, Comrade Effiong Nya and the representative of the Joint Public Sector Negotiation Committee, Comrade Tina Essien.

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The joint committee is to negotiate the 13 points demands of the NLC and submit a comprehensive report within 30 days to the Governor for necessary action.

The statement quoted the chairman of the joint negotiating committee, Akparawa Ephraim Inyang-eyen of promising that the government’s representatives will apply utmost good faith in the pursuit of the objectives of the committee.

The constitution of the committee may not be unconnected to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Akwa Ibom State Council’s 14-day ultimatum to Governor Udom Emmanuel to address their concerns or risk indefinite strike by workers.

It could be recalled that in a communiqué jointly signed by NLC Chairman, Comrade Sunny James and the Acting Secretary, Comrade Iboro Ibara after its State Executive Council (SEC) emergency meeting on Monday, October 26, 2020, the union accused the state government of a continual refusal to address the multitude of issues affecting the workers and retirees in the State, as well as the well-being of the Congress.

The demands outlined included: “Payment of the 2020 leave grant to all Civil Servants; 2018- 2020 leave grant to workers in the Local Government Service and 2015, 2017- 2020 leave grant to Primary School Teachers;

“Immediate end to the use of ‘dubious and recalcitrant’ Salary Consultants to manage the State’s Civil Service payroll. There should be a reversal to qualified payroll officers within the service who are eminently qualified to do the same job;

“Clearance of the backlog of gratuities to retirees in the State as follows: Retirees of the State Civil service from April 2016 to the present; Retirees of the Local Government Service from 2012 to the present; Retired Primary School Teachers from 2010 to the present and; Next-of-kin especially Primary School Teachers from 1989 to the present;

“Immediate payment of the December 2019 arrears of minimum wage to all Akwa lbom workers and the January 2020 Minimum Wage arrears already paid to other Civil Servants to Primary School Teachers;

“Immediate release of funds for the refund of the 7.5 per cent Contributory Pensions to Primary School Teachers and all such Civil Servants that did not get their refunds as well as the harmonization of pensions for all State Government retirees in compliance with Extant Laws.”

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“Conclusion of action on the revalidation of the 403 Local Government health workers who were delisted from the payroll in July 2019 while others who were similarly affected (non-health workers) should also be revalidated and reinstated;

“Immediate recall of the four (4) sacked Labour Leaders of Jubilee Syringe Manufacturing Company, Onna L.G.A. and the immediate resuscitation of Peacock Paints Limited at Etinan and Akwa Savings and Loans Limited and appointment of new Board Members with relevant experience to replace the current obsolete board; payment of outstanding salary from January 2020 to date to the Akwa lbom State University (AKSU) workers.”

The state NLC had in the letter stressed that, “failure of the government to accede to the outlined demands, Congress shall embark on an indefinite strike without further notice.

The union had sent the ultimatum to the Governor’s office and has also copied security agencies in readiness for action.

The joint government and labour committee is expected stave off the impending labour unrest even as some of the issues raised by the state NLC are being implemented by the government.