Workers day: Nasarawa PASAN advocates for implementation of financial autonomy of state legislatures.
Civil Servants in Nasarawa State today joined their counterparts across the country to celebrate this year’s Workers Day otherwise called May Day.
The State workers converged at Lafia Square to celebrate the day through match pass and other activities where Labour leaders made their demands from government.
The Chairman, Nasarawa State House of Assembly Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), Comrade Suleiman Safiyanu Oshafu called on the Federal and State Governments to hasten the implementation of financial autonomy for state legislatures.
Comrade Oshafu who led other members of the association to Lafia Square, venue of the occasion said, implementation of financial autonomy for the state legislatures was long over due and need to be given topmost attention for effective and efficient service delivery.
He stated that, lack of financial autonomy for state houses of assembly is affecting service delivery by the staff, therefore more effort should be made by those concerned towards its actualization.
He went further to commend Governor Abdullahi Sule for the payment of hazard allowance to health workers, recruitment of additional workforce into the state service, allocation of houses to deserving workers on owners occupy basis, sustained payment of salary as well as increased in the retirement years for teachers from sixty to sixty five years.
He however, urged the government to fulfill its promised for the implementation of pending promotions for workers and other allowances in the state.
” I want to appeal to the government to as a matter of fact look into the plight of civil servants in this present economic reality,the cost of living is high, prices of everything has skyrocketed, government should please implement the promotions and pay the minimum wage in order to reduce the hardship”.
He called on the Civil Servants to support the administration of Governor Sule to provide quality service delivery to all nooks and crannies of the State.
” We need to support the government to be able to provide dividend of democracy to the people. Government can not succeed without the support of the workers” he added
Governor Abdullahi Sule who was represented at the occasion by the Head of Service, Barr. Abigail Waya said, arrangements have been concluded towards implementation of promotions,adding that government has already commenced payment of hazard allowance for health workers.
He further stated that, government have adjusted the retirement age for teachers from sixty years to sixty five years along side the recruitment of more teachers, health workers for maximum productivity.
” We have recruited more than two thousand health workers, more teachers into the state service, we also recruited teaching and non teaching staff in tertiary institutions”
He emphasized on the state government commitment to training and retraining of workers for effective and efficient service delivery.
Nasarawa State Nigeria Labor Congress Chairman, Ayuba Ismaila Oko represented by the Vice Chairman, Simon Yakubu and Chairman Trade Union Congress, Mohammed Umar appreciated the government for initiating policies and programs that are workers friendly.
They commended the Governor for sustained payment of salary, payment of hazard allowance for health workers among other benefits.
They called on the Governor to provide workers with buses to ease their movement, implementation of promotions and wage award, payment of consequential adjustment and approval for conversion.
The theme for this year event is ” People First”. The event is to commemorate the fallen heroes who have dedicated their life in the struggle for better welfare and working conditions of workers.
This year’s occasion as usual witness the presence of workers from all works of life who gathered in Lafia Square to celebrate their day.
