Bayelsa To Pay New National Minimum Wage

Following the political pressure on the Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, he has announced government’s decision to pay the N18, 000 national minimum wage to the state workers with effect from October 2011.

Sylva made the announcement during a meeting he held with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and Trade Union Congress, TUC in Government House, Yenagoa.

The governor also announced the approval of the monthly payment of N92.9 million to the Local Government Councils to enable them implement the payment of the new Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) to primary health care workers.

In addition, he disclosed that government has set up a committee to review the benefits of pensioners, so that the effect of inflation will not erode the purchasing power of their earnings.

He announced that he has approved the release of funds for the purchase of a building to be used as “Labour House” by the state NLC.

Sylva also directed the State Works and Transport Commissioner to ensure that the short stretch of road leading to the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) was constructed without delay.

The governor called on labour in the state to reciprocate government’s good gesture by ensuring that workers are punctual and also take their work seriously with a view to enhancing their productivity.

Sylva disclosed that the wage bill of the state was now in the region of N5 billion monthly.

He went on to advise all relevant agencies of government to put their acts together to increase the internally-generated revenue base of the state.

The governor, who described workers as the “driving force of government’s policies and programmes,” called on labour to key into his vision to move the state forward.

In his remarks, the chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the state, Comrade Ayibaitari Yekorogha, lauded the governor for accepting to pay the new minimum wage without any acrimony or friction with labour.

In what can be described as an endorsement of Sylva’s second term bid, Yekorogha said labour in the state will join the campaign of “no vacancy” in Bayelsa Government House by asking its members to vote massively for the governor during the gubernatorial election in the state.

n her contribution, Chairman of the state NLC, Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai thanked the governor for setting up a committee to review pensioners’ entitlements and also accepting to pay the difference of N92.9 million monthly to enable the Local Government Councils pay the new salary structure for health workers and assured the governor that workers in the state will give him maximum support during his re-election bid.
By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt