John Adams, Minna
The Niger State government has reassured civil servants in the state of its commitment to the full implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage as agreed to with organized labour.
The government also assured workers of job stability, saying that no worker would be sacked as a result of the implementation of the new minimum wage.
State Commissioner for Information and Vommunication Alhaji Danjuma Salau disclosed this to newsmen on Monday after the end of a special state executive council meeting held at the government house in Minna, the state capital.
The meeting was used to appraise the contributions of workers to the success recorded by the government in the last three and half years.
The government said it would emphasise internal and external training of workers to enhance their capacities in order to improve their efficiencies in their various duties.
Alhaji Danjuma Salau said Governor Abubakar Sani Bello was particularly impressed by the diligence and dedication to duty of the workers which to a large extent, “contributed to the success recorded in the transformation agenda of the administration
“As we continue to strive to make our state one of the most enviable states in the country, we will continue to make the civil and local government services the engine that will drive the growth of the state
“In the last couple of years, the administration has worked very well with workers, as a result of which the administration has witnessed industrial harmony unlike in many states of the country. We hope to continue this collaborative effort in the overall interest of our state.”
Salau said state and local government services would also be used to reduce the huge unemployment of fresh graduates.
“Most of the ministries departments and agencies are understaffed; the government intends to fill these vacant positions with our young men and women who have just graduated from the schools so that they can contribute their quota to the socioeconomic development of the state,” he said.
Salau continued that the executive council had deliberated on the plan by the federal government to increase the national minimum wage of workers in the country and views this step as being in tandem with the policy of the administration to pursue goals that will ensure job satisfaction for all categories of workers.
The meeting resolved that the state government will pay whatever minimum wage is approved by the federal government to its workers, assuring that the implementation of the new minimum wage would not lead to job losses.
An implementation advisory committee on the new minimum wage, which comprises members of organised labour, has also been set up, with the government charging it to deliver on its mandate as quickly as possible, the commissioner said.
“The implementation of the new minimum wage will not lead to job loss. The administration is aware that government is the largest employer of labour in this state and will not do anything that will create industrial disharmony,” Salau insisted.
In the area of infrastructural development, the commissioner assured that all parts of the state will continue to enjoy equal distribution of amenities for even growth to be achieved.
The government, he said, has called for cooperation and support for the administration to achieve its set goals.
Salau advised the public to avoid rumour mongering which he said was capable of creating unnecessary tension and disunity among the ethnic groups in the state.