Date Published: 05/02/10

Expect Pay Rise soon, Uduaghan tells Deltans.

Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has promised to implement a new minimum wage for workers in the state once the Federal Government concludes negotiations at the federal level.

The Governor who made the promise at the May Day celebration in Asaba, at the weekend, said he was waiting for the outcome of negotiations at the federal level before his administration would raise a team to discuss the new wage with workers.

Dr. Uduaghan said he will continue to implement policies and programmes that would enhance workers welfare and urged  workers to put in their best because he would not disappoint them.

He explained that workers were central to the success of  any administration even as he said that without workers no administration would implement any programme successfully.

His words, “Without workers we cannot accelerate the growth of infrastructure , without them, we cannot build roads and we cannot do anything. Workers hold the key to development”

The Governor expressed his resolve to continue to sustain the harmonious relationship between his government and labour asserting humorously that it pays to be workers friendly.

Dr. Uduaghan however urged workers to tread carefully on the issue of federal circulars explaining that such circulars were not supposed to be binding on States.

He said federal circulars were supposed to be negotiated and each State would implement them based on its resources.

The Governor used the occasion to talk about the scope of his three point agenda, explaining that the programmes would outlive him.

Explaining further he said “My three point agenda has no definite time frame of completion. These programmes are endless because there is no no administration that will not implement peace and security or infrastructure development. So when people ask me when my three point agenda is ending , I tell them that it is endless”.

Dr. Uduaghan said future administrations would execute the programmes and urged Deltans to continue to support the three point agenda because "it is encompassing and limitless".

He disclosed that the State's second secretariat which is under construction would soon be ready for occupation even as he expressed the administration's determination to stop ministries from operating in rented apartments.

The Governor who disclosed that his administration has given Delta line 150 vehicles said the transport company would soon be provided with new vehicles for inter-state routes.

Dr. Uduaghan commended Comrade Mike Okeme for his cooperation and bridge-building efforts that has ensured peace between the state government and labour.

In his speech the chairman of Nigerian Labour Congress in the state Comrade Mike Okeme commended the State Governor for being labour friendly.

Mr. Okeme expressed appreciation to the Governor for promoting workers welfare especially  the recent promise to give each industrial union in the state a vehicle.

He however appealed to the governor to assist workers in the state so that they could access Federal Mortgage Bank Housing loan.

The NLC chairman lamented that workers in the state contributed over Two billion naira to the fund explaining that while states which had not contributed much were already benefiting from the fund, workers in Delta state are not accessing the loan.

The Chairman of T.U.C. in the state Comrade Sam Diateke paid glowing tribute to the Governor for developing the state and for being a listening Governor.

Comrade Diateke urged the governor to continue to promote workers welfare and pledged the loyalty and dedication of workers to the State Government.