… Soludo Sets Up C’mittee on Worker’s Welfare
By Jude Atupulazi
The Anambra State Government has debunked reports in some sections of the media that the Deputy Governor of the state, Dr Onyekachi Ibezim, was booed by workers during this year’s May Day Celebration at Ekwueme Square, Awka.
A press statement by the Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Charles Aburime, said there was no such thing but rather, the state government was taking measures to boost workers’ welfare.
It added that Soludo was set to meet with leaders of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, to discuss modalities for the welfare of workers.
To this end, the statement said, the governor had set up a high powered committee to meet and look into the demands of workers and also make possible pronouncements on issues affecting the state’s work force.
Contained in the issues to be addressed include, housing for workers, operational vehicles, as well as other sundry entitlements to boost the morale of workers and ultimately improve productivity.
The statement read, ‘This is against insinuations in some quarters that at this year’s May Day Celebration by the NLC, the Deputy Governor, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim, was booed by workers.
‘Workers had concluded arrangements for the presentation of gifts and awards to deserving Trade Unions which would be performed by Ibezim after the speech by the State Chairman of the NLC, Comrade Humphrey Nwafor, before the March Past but the workers insisted on award presentation first.
‘It took the intervention of the Deputy Governor, Ibezim, who stated that the normal protocol should be observed, adding that after the presentation of gifts and awards, he would respond to the demands of the workers as presented by the address of the State Chairman of the NLC which settled the disagreement.
‘Ibezim promised that all the demands of the workers would be presented to Soludo, announcing that a committee has been set up to look into the issues raised by the workers, while a meeting between the governor and the workers would be convened within one week to address those gray areas.
‘The Deputy Governor reiterated the resolve of the Soludo Administration to ensure a conducive and worker friendly environment for Anambra workers through capacity building and constant training of workers, as well as better conditions of service,’ the release stated.
