Obiano assures workers of continued labour-friendly policies

Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra says he will be one of the first governors to implement the new minimum wage as workers’ welfare will continue to be his government’s priority.

Obiano said that no worker in the state would be denied his or her lawful benefits, promising that the proposed minimum wage of N30,000 would be fully implemented by his administration.

He gave the assurance in Awka on Friday, while opening the 7th Quadrennial State Delegates Conference of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Anambra State branch.

“I promised to continue to make my government a labour-friendly one.

“We will continue to be in partnership in the project of development in Anambra.

“Engagements are ongoing and at the appropriate time, our administration will be one of the first state governments to pay the new minimum wage, because it’s in our 2020 budget.

“The most important issue is sustainability because when we kick-off with the new minimum wage, nobody is going see our back,” he said.

Obiano, represented by the state Head of Service, Mr Harry Udu, said that plans were on to ensure workers in the state have a bumper Christmas celebration

“As we approach Christmas, our workers will have a bumper one. We will pay Leave Allowances by Dec. 5 and the December salary will be paid on Dec. 15.

“So, I want to assure workers in the state that we have your best interest at heart,” Obiano said.

Earlier, Mr Jerry Nnubia, state President of NULGE, said in collaboration with the National Leaders, they recorded appreciable achievements in the areas of struggle for autonomy of local government system as a tier of government in Nigeria.

“It should be noted that if not for the efforts of NULGE through persistent and consistent protests across the country, the ill-conceived clamour for the scrapping of Local Government system would have succeeded,” he said.

Nnubia thanked the state governor for being labour-friendly and for the regular and prompt payment of salaries and pensions.