…to set up committee for wage review
Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has said the High Court building complex, Asaba, would be ready for inauguration in this May as part of the projects to mark his administration’s first year in office.
Governor Oborevwori, who disclosed this to journalists during inspection of the project on Tuesday, said he was impressed with the exterior finishing of the building but frowned at the poor interior finishing and told the contractor to ensure proper finishing of the project in readiness for inauguration in May.
The five-storey High Court building has conference halls, chambers, a library, Zoom room, computer laboratory, public and private elevators, holding cell for suspects, registry, canteen, car park and male and female convenience apartments.
Governor Oborevwori said: “The exterior is good and we are satisfied with it. It’s just little maintenance. But the interior is where we have challenges. They have over delayed the commissioning of this project.
“I was here on the 23rd of June, less than a month after I assumed office.
“I came here again, on the 31st of August last year and I am here now. This is the third time I am visiting this project. It shows how important it is to us. It is one of the projects to be commissioned to mark my one year in office.
“We are here with the chairman of the one-year anniversary planning committee, who is the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Kingsley Emu, the Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Theresa Diai, and we are not too satisfied with the work.
“But they have promised that, within too weeks, everything will be okay. The person in charge of the furnishing has also assured us to deliver within the next two to three weeks. So, I am sure that, by next month, we are going to commission this project.”
On the power, the Governor said, “I have discussed with the Chief Judge; this project cannot rely on just the normal power from BEDC. It will be connected to the Independent Power Plant.”
On the expectations of workers on May Day, Governor Oborevwori said: “I am a worker-friendly governor. I paid the outstanding workers’ promotion arrears when I came in.
“We supported the local governments to clear outstanding pension arrears and, just last week, we gave vehicles to the 29 Permanent Secretaries that have not got vehicles. So, you will hear from me on May day.”
Meanwhile, Governor Oborevwori said on May Day that his administration would set up a committee to look into workers’ demand for salary increase in view of the current hardship in the country.
Governor Oborevwori stated this in his address at the 2024 Workers’ Day celebration held at the Cenotaph, Asaba, on Wednesday.
He commended workers in the state for their support for the emergence of his administration and for the prevailing industrial harmony across the state.
He said his administration had always prioritised the welfare of workers in the state and promised to look into the issue of workers who were inadvertently omitted in the payment of promotion arrears.
Governor Oborevwori said: “I have listened attentively to your requests and I have taken note of same; they are, no doubt, legitimate demands and as a responsible government, I will deliberate with my team on how best to address them within the limits of resources available to us.
“As a government, we have prioritised the welfare of our workforce because it is my belief that a happy and well motivated workforce is not only a catalyst for the growth and industrial development of any society but also the bedrock for extended family setting and communal cohesion.
“This administration has already demonstrated its commitment to the welfare of serving and retired civil servants and we will continue to do so through our policies and actions.
“This, we have exemplified by the payment of salary arrears to the state civil servants and facilitation of N40 billion facility to assist the local governments to pay the backlog of pensions and gratuity to local government workers and primary school teachers.
“However, I have taken note that some persons were omitted in the payment of promotion arrears; it wasn’t the fault of government because I was given the full list and I was told that the amount is N5.6bn and said let it be paid in four tranches and it was paid, but since the NLC Chairman has mentioned it in his speech, I will look into it.
“We are determined to deliver meaningful projects through aggressive infrastructural development as can be seen from the numerous bridges, flyovers and road construction and reconstruction, building and renovation of schools, healthcare facilities and retooling and capacity building of the workforce and human capital development in general, across board.
“My administration is determined to deliver economic prosperity and an improved standard of living to all Deltans through collaborative effort and constructive engagement with organised labour.
“Therefore, we solicit your unflinching support and cooperation to get us to this promised land and to the Delta State of our dreams.”
Earlier, in a joint address delivered by the State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, Comrade Goodluck Ofobruku, on behalf of his Trade Union Congress counterpart, TUC, Comrade Martin Bolum, the labour leaders commended Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for honouring workers in the state by attending the Workers’ Day in person.
He commended Governor Oborevwori for his commitment to the welfare of workers and pensioners in the state and pledged their continued support for his administration’s MORE Agenda.
The labour leader also lauded the governor for the payment of promotion arrears owed workers to the tune of N5.6 billion, but appealed to him to consider those omitted whose entitlements, they said, tallied at N800 million.
The NLC boss, while appreciating the governor for keeping to his campaign promises to workers, said, “we want promise keeper’s politicians because, as workers, we keep records of promises”.
The 2024 May Day celebration, with theme, “PEOPLE FIRST,” was a carnival- like celebration in the State and featured march past by the various affiliate unions in the state.
