The Kwara State government has approved a temporary palliative measure to bring some ease to public servants in the state following the removal of petrol subsidy by the Federal Government.
The State Head of Service, Mrs Susan Modupe Oluwole in a statement made available to journalists in Ilorin, stated that Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, has directed that the workdays be reduced from five days to three days per week for every worker.
Mrs Oluwole in the statement directed all Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the state to immediately work out a format indicating the alternating work days for each worker under them.
The Head of Service however, warned the workers not to abuse the magnanimity of the Governor, stressing that the regular monitoring of MDAs by her office would be intensified to ensure strict compliance.
In a related development Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Monday met with top labour leaders in the state, appealing to them that the recent removal of fuel subsidy had been done in good faith to curb further damage to the economy.
According to the statement issued by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary Rafiu Ajakaye on the outcome of the meeting,it stated that“Removal of subsidy is definitely a painful decision that the government had to take in the larger interest of the country. It is the cheapest and most sustainable option available to curb criminal bleeding of the resources at the expense of the larger public,”
“Subsidy regime means Nigeria is running a deficit budget that continues to hurt economic growth and make people poorer. The country was having to borrow to feed a tiny few, while important things like infrastructural development, industrial growth, job creation receive lesser resources.
“Now that subsidy has been removed as there is no provision for it in the budget anymore, the government is open to veritable ideas from the labour unions on how to redirect the savings for maximum public benefit, including pay rise.
“Mr. President and all of us (Governors) really acknowledge the short-term pains that come with the development, but we are committed to making sure that the interest of the workers and the Nigerian people is protected.”said the statement.
The meeting was attended by the NLC Chairman Comrade Muritala Saheed Olayinka; State TUC Chairman Comrade Joseph Tunde Meshach; Chairman Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Kwara state chapter Dr. Ola Ahmad; Chairman National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners
Association (NAGGMDP) Dr. Yusuf Amuda; Vice Chairman National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers (NUPPPPROW) Comrade Mrs. Medinat Jimoh; as well as the representatives of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE); among others.
State NLC Chairman, Comrade Muritala Saheed Olayinka, reportedly said in the statement that the call for such a meeting shows good leadership on the part of the Governor.
He agreed with AbdulRazaq that dialogue is better than strike action at this time, urging the Governor to use his good office as NGF Chairman to intervene in the national issue for amicable resolutions.
"As said by you, we know there is a little misunderstanding between leadership of NLC and the representatives of the federal government. We have discussed it holistically within ourselves at the state level that when a negotiation is ongoing, it doesn't call for strike demonstration," he said.
State TUC Chairman, Comrade Joseph Tunde Meshach, said engagement and dialogue are the best options to resolve the issues.
He appealed to the government to be sincere as they go about the discussion of a new minimum wage for workers and palliatives for the poor masses.
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