UYO – NIGERIA Labour Congress (NLC) has urged Governor Umo Eno to fulfill his promise to regularise the employment of several casual workers engaged by Akwa Ibom State Government who currently labour for the state on a monthly N10,000 pittance.
The appeal was contained in a communique released weekend from NLC Akwa Ibom chapter First Quarter State Executive Council (SEC) Meeting held in Uyo where organised labour also accused Provost of Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit, of overstaying his tenure and stirring labour crisis at the institution.
In the communique signs by Elder Sunny James, State Chairman and Alpha Marshall, Secretary, NLC Akwa Ibom reminded Governor Eno on, “His promise to Organized Labour to regularise the appointment of the temporary workers in the Ministries Department and Agencies (MDAs) which some of them are still earning as little as N10,000 a month as earlier submitted to the Government for considerations.”
On looming workers unrest at the Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit, NLC State Council, “observed with great disappointment the unfortunate interference of Prof Udo, Provost, in Union activities in the School. The College Staff Handbook stipulates that a ‘Provost shall be appointed for a five (5) year single term and no more’.
“Congress is worried that the tenure of the Provost had elapsed since October, 2024 considering his appointment on 17th October, 2019. The implication therefore is that all communications signed by him after last October had been rendered illegal, null and void in the prevailing circumstances and are hereby expected to be discarded.”
NLC however lauded the governor for successful “successfully implementing a New Minimum Wage of N80,000.00 in the State by paying same in January, 2025 salary, with November and December 2024 arrears.
“SEC-in-Session also commends the Governor for the release of funds for payment of 7.5% Contributory Pension Refunds expected to be in tranches starting January 2025 to the beneficiaries which money was due since 2013.
“SEC further appreciates the Governor for initiating the Staff Verification Exercise with attendant benefits to both the State
Government and the Organized Labour.
“We urge every worker in the State who have been adversely affected by the exercise to count their gains in their updated service records, employment vacancies that would be created and also encourages the Committee to ensure speedy completion of the exercise on workers yet to receive their January salaries.”
NLC believes the vacancies expected to be created by the state workers verification exercise, preempting exposure and displacement of ghost workers, should afford the governor the window to employ more workers with priority given to regularising the engagement of the state’s numerous casual workers.
Meanwhile Governor Eno in a directive to the Elder Effiong Essien, State Head of Civil Service, has ordered immediate payment of workers whose February salaries have been withheld due to delay posed by the State workers verification exercise.
