Delta State workers have disagreed with Governor Sheriff Oborevwori over the inability of the latter to make policy statement on minimum wage.
The 2024 May Day celebration, with the theme, “People First,” was a carnival- like celebration in the state and featured march past by the various affiliate unions in the state.
The disagreement during the governor’s address at the 2024 Workers’ Day celebration in Asaba, yesterday, ended the governor’s speech abruptly.
The workers who were desperately expecting the governor to announce a new minimum wage were aggrieved when the governor finished his address without making reference to the new minimum wage.
The workers who lost their temper disrupted and interrupted the governor with, “no, no, no, we no gree, pay us our minimum wage”, after the governor insisted that the workers should not cajole him to pay minimum wage.
The workers who insisted they have earlier discussed the matter with him disregarded all attempts made by the governor to bring the situation under control.
“Listen to me, listen to me, calm down, calm down, you cannot cajole me” the governor said angrily.
Meanwhile, Oborevwori said his administration would set up a committee to look into workers’ demand for salary increase in view of the current hardship in the country.
He commended workers in the state for their support for 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.
“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,” he said.
Earlier, in a joint address delivered by the state chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Goodluck Ofobruku , on behalf of his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart Comrade Martin Bolum, the labour leaders appreciated the governor for keeping to his campaign promises to workers, saying, “we want promise keepers politicians because, as workers, we keep records of promises.”
Meanwhile, the speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, (DSHA), Hon Dennis Guwor, has rejoiced with organised labour in Nigeria on the 2024 Workers’ Day celebration.
The speaker in a statement by his chief press secretary, Mr Nkem Nwaeke, particularly felicitated with workers in Delta on this year’s May Day.
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