AMOSUN PROMISES 1000 HOUSING UNITS, HOUSING AND CAR LOANS FOR OGUN WORKERS
Olorunfemi Ojo
Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has promised to deliver 1000 housing units solely for civil servants.
The governor also resuscitated car and housing loans to workers in the civil service which he described as the engine room of any government.
Senator Amosun who disclosed this today while speaking at the Workers’ Day celebration held at the M.K.O. Abiola International Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta also said 200 units
of the houses will be ready by May 29 with another 500 in December while the others will be delivered later.
The governor said his administration is committed to prompt payment of workers salaries, training and retraining of its workforce.
“In the last 35 months of our administration, we have been unwavering in the discharge of our duty to better the lot of our workers. We have consistently taken the issue of the on-the-job training of our workforce seriously.
“Our administration believes that a well trained and retrained Civil Service will increase productivity and resultantly raise our administrative competence. Across all cadre and levels of the Public Service, we have continued to make fund available for this purpose.
“Be that as it may, I must say that I am particularly happy that the era of non-payment of salaries, leave bonus and pension arrears have become a thing of the past in the Ogun State Public Service. Workers now collect their
salaries and various allowances as at when due.
“Only some weeks ago, our administration released 1.5billion naira to clear the backlog of pension arrears inherited from the immediate past administration and those that retired in the course of our own administration. Let me reassure you that we are fully aware of the vital position occupied by the workers and we would not at any time hesitate to implement other programmes that will make our workforce happy,” he submitted.
Gov. Amosun noted that May 1 is a day set aside, not only to commemorate workers’ contributions to the socio-economic development of their various societies, but also to draw public attention to the plight and struggles of this very important segment of the society to improve working conditions.
He appreciated the Ogun State workers and labour unions for their unflinching cooperation and support for his administration, adding that the support would in no wise be taken for granted.
In his speech, the Chairman, Ogun State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ishola Ambali said that the theme of the Workers’ Day Celebration was chosen to reflect on the state of insecurity in the country,
calling on workers and all Nigerians to give peace a chance for national development.
Ambali commended Amosun for his various workers-friendly policies, especially the prompt payment of salaries and clearing of backlog of pensions arrears, infrastructure, transport, women empowerment and
economic development.
In the same vein, the Chairman, Ogun State Council of Trade Union Congress, Comrade Seyi Adebanjo commended the giant strides of the Amosun-led administration.
”without any reservation wish to appreciate the state government for its empirical efforts to transform Ogun State into ‘primus inter pares’ in the comity of states economically, socially and culturally.
“We have seen the Ibara overhead bridge, Ita-Eko- Sokori road, Kudirat Abiola Cultural Centre and the completed Ita-Iyalode State of the Art road. The transformation is not limited to the state capital and this indicates that the government is really alive to its responsibilities. Really, our votes got the right candidate,” he said.