The Rivers State Government has lifted the ban on employment and promotions in the state civil service which has been on hold for up to 10 years now.
The State Governor, Nyesom Wike announced the government decision on Wednesday during the 2019 International Workers Day Celebration at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia, Port Harcourt.
The Governor who was represented by his Deputy Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo said the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission had already been directed to conduct interviews and effect recruitment of Rivers indigenes to fill existing vacancies as part of efforts to strengthen the civil service for effective service delivery to the Rivers people as well as promote civil servants to their next salary grades.
Wike said the government under his watch was committed to tackling social issues by creating the enabling environment for the private sector to create jobs and empower youths.
“We are also strengthening our educational system to ensure that our graduates are imbued with appropriate skills and the mindset to become job creators rather than become job seekers and will also continue to implement effective policies and programmes that will address and lift our people from poverty to economic prosperity,” Governor Wike further stressed.
He disclosed that the government has started implementing the N100-million interest free-loan to civil servants in a bid to advance the welfare and wellbeing of the state civil servants.
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He promised to pay the new minimum wage as soon as he receives the official transmission the relevant memo from the Federal Government while noting that the Pension Reform Bill passed a few days ago by the State House of Assembly would bring into existence a seamless and positive scheme for workers in the state.
Wike who described his administration as worker-friendly said despite financial challenges, his government is up to date in the payment of full salaries and pensions to working and retired civil servants, stressing that his promise to construct befitting secretariats for the state’s Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has been fulfilled and will soon be handed over.
Earlier, in her speech, the state chairman of the NLC, Beatrice Itubo, said the “labour family in Rivers State as a critical development partner is satisfied with the massive infrastructure development embarked upon by the Governor Nyesom Wike-led administration.”
She expressed appreciation to the commitment of Wike for responding to the payment of the new minimum wage, saying: “Our thanks go to the government of Rivers State under the competent leadership of Governor Wike for showing preparedness to pay the new National Minimum Wage as soon as formalities are done with.”
She urged the state government to see the need for harmonisation of pension to benefit pensioners who retired before the implementation of the new pension bill and further urged the government to seriously address the issue of insecurity in the state.
Itubo congratulated Governor Wike and his deputy for their victory at the election saying the election was a referendum on the performance of Wike’s in the last 4 years and noting that the victory was an indication that a large number of the voting public in the state are happy with the governor.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Trade Union Congress Comrade Austin Jonah reiterated the commitment of the labour movement to continually seek improvement on existing working conditions of workers.
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