Tag: Gov Eno

  • Regularise employment of workers earning N10,000 monthly salary, NLC tells Gov Eno

    Regularise employment of workers earning N10,000 monthly salary, NLC tells Gov Eno

    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.

  • Gov Eno swears in 25 commissioners, 2 SAs into new cabinet

    Gov Eno swears in 25 commissioners, 2 SAs into new cabinet

    UYO — GOVERNOR Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has sworn in and assigned portfolios to 25 commissioners and two Special Advisers in his new cabinet.

    The new cabinet has six of nine commissioners returned from the immediate past State Executive Council, SEC, dissolved in January by the governor still retaining their last portfolios.

    At the swearing in Uyo, yesterday, Eno told the new cabinet members: “You have been privileged to be selected out of the 7.9 million people to provide service to your state based primarily on your proven capacities and ability to get the job done.

    “Your loyalty is to the governor and the state. You have been handed a vision as contained in our Arise Agenda, to work collaboratively to interpret and deliver on those key planks of our governance blueprint for betterment of our people and state.

    “This EXCO must be shaped by love, teamwork, unity of purpose and the spirit of oneness, carrying each other along as partners rather than adversaries and being very observant, so that we do not allow one person to destroy collective attainment.”

    In a statement of no-go-area, the governor warned: “Only the Commissioner for Information and my Chief Press Secretary are authorised to issue official press statements.”

    Among the new EXCO members who retained their portfolios from the immediate past cabinet were Uko Udom, SAN, who remains Commissioner of Justice/Attorney General of the state and Captain Iniobong Ekong (retd) still superintending over the Ministry of Lands.

    Others are Dr. Offiong Offor of the Ministry of Agriculture; Prof. Eno Ibanga, Ministry of Works and Fire Service; Frank Archibong (Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs) and Gen Koko Essien (retd) at the helms of the Ministry of Internal Security and Waterways.

    Ini Ememobong, immediate past Commissioner for Information now takes charge as Commissioner for Special Duties, Ibom Deep Sea Port, while Mr. Linus Nkan, immediate past Finance Commissioner swapped portfolio with Emem Bob, immediate past Commissioner for Economic Development in the new cabinet.

    Among the new faces engaged in Governor Eno’s new EXCO, famed sports journalist, administrator and former Chairman, Akwa United FC, Paul Bassey now overseas the state’s Ministry of Sports.