May Day: Bauchi Governor insists administration worker-friendly, promises more opportunities for greater productivity, result-oriented service
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Labour Union leaders at the celebration
By Akanji Olowolodu, Bauchi
Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir has insisted that his government is a worker friendly Administration and has set-up a machinery for the settlement of backlog of gratuity.
The Governor was speaking on Monday during the 2023 Workers Day celebration held at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa stadium, Bauchi.
He told leadership of the organized labour in the state that his administration as a worker friendly government, will not relent in implementing various policies and programmes aimed at motivating civil servants and improving their standard of living for greater productivity and result oriented service.
The Governor also said that the state government has adopted the implementation of the N30,000:00 consequential adjustment of National Minimum Wage, implementation and payment of the State Government’s statutory contributions on Employees Compensation Scheme (ECS).
Bala Mohammed explained that the Employees Compensation Scheme was designed to provide compensation to employees who sustained or suffered from occupational diseases, injuries or disability at work or outside it as well as provides compensation to the next of kin of employee who dies in the course of his or her work.

He recalled that, since the inception of his administration in May, 2019, far reaching measures have been put in place to ensure stabilization of payment of salaries and pensions by making the nominal roll to drive the payroll so as to eliminate ‘the’ ghost workers syndrome, block leakages, improve cash flow management, cut irrelevant and unnecessary spending, among other fraudulent activities in the system.
Represented by the State Head of Service, Yahuza Adamu Haruna, the Governor said that his government was poised to supporting the state workers towards restoring the lost glory of the service and called for collective effort to ensure that the civil service in the state remains vibrant.
According to him, “I am delighted to be part of yet another major workers’ landmark, the annual celebration of the International Workers Day also known as \May Day’. The uniqueness of ‘May Day’ is underscored by the contributions of workers to the socio-economic development of our dear country in particular and the world at large.”
Bala Mohammed said that, It is therefore a commendable decision by the International Labour Organization to set aside this very important day to celebrate workers’ contributions, in all areas of human endeavor.
He said that, “Today’s occasion provides an opportunity for both the public and private sectors to re-dedicate their services towards overcoming the various socio-economic challenges facing our great country.”
The Governor stressed that, “With the overcoming of the challenges it is expected that there would be a paradigm shift from the old damaging order to that where accountability, transparency and probity would be the new order.”
According to him, “In an effort to ameliorate the suffering of Civil Servants in accessing quality health care services, the State Government has approved the take-off of the health care contributory Scheme in the State formal/public sector.”
“In addition, Government had set-up a machinery for the settlement of backlog of pension and gratuity with a view to minimizing the suffering of retired civil servants. Other measures included complete renovation of the Abubakar Umar Secretariat complex and 20 Local Governments Areas Secretariats so as to create conducive working environment for workers,” he said.
Bala Mohammed however said that, “Due to the vacuum created in the civil service as a result of retirement, transfer, elevation, deployment, death etc, the State Government has granted approval for employment of critical manpower needed to fill the existing vacancies in some MDAS.”
He stressed that, “To this end, about 1,703 pre-service students were engaged by the State Government especially in Health Sector so as to help addressing the manpower requirement of the State both in the short and long run.”
He added that, “Similarly, the State Government has facilitated the recruitment of over 2,500 State indigenes into Military and Para Military organizations. This has drastically reduced the number of unemployed youths in the State.”
The Governor then reiterated his irrevocable commitment to the upliftment of the standard of living of the people of the state through execution of meaningful projects and called on all civil servants to support and cooperate with the government at all levels in order to achieve their noble goals and objectives of providing dividend of democracy to citizenry.
Earlier, Chairman of the NLC in the state, Comrade Dauda Shuaibu and his counterpart of the TUC, Comrade Sabi’u Ningi both applauded Governor Bala Mohammed for the waiver granted to Local Government Staff on promotion from 2018 to date and regular release and implementation of promotion for officers in the State Civil Service.
The labour leaders who spoke seperately appreciated the Governor for the implementation of New National Minimum Wage and consequential adjustment of salaries for officers on grade level 07 and above and assure of the labour union’s continuous unflinching support, loyalty, commitment and cooperation towards the progress and development of the state.
The NLC Chairman said that, “Fellow Comrades, distinguished invited guests, members of the press, ladies and gentlemen the celebration of May Day is done in honour and special recognition of the role of workers in the development of our country since 1912, when the Trade unionism first started in Nigeria.”
He stressed that,”The occasion is aimed at providing labour leaders and workers the opportunity to come together to reflect over the past one year, evaluate performance and re-assess the State of the Nation with a view to improving the working and living condition of workers as well as forecast the prospect of our future.”
On his own, the TUC Chairman said that, “We would not conclude without extending our special appreciation and gratitude to the Head of Civil Service Alhaji Yahuza Adamu (Ajiyan Ningi). He is an honest, dedicated, hard working, loyal and committed officer that displays starling qualities at all times and a father to the organized labour.”
He added that,”His doors remains open and accessible to us, he prioritize all workers and labour issues with dignity and pride. The existing cordial relationship and cooperation between the Government and the organized labour is maintained by the Head of Service.”