The Ondo State State Government has said that all arrangements have been concluded to commence the payment of the thirty five thousand naira wage award announced by the Federal Government to its workers.
The state Head of Service, Pastor Kayode Ogundele, FCIPM, dropped the hint at this month edition of the monthly meeting between government and the leadership of labour after monthly receipt from the federal allocation.
The Head of Service disclosed that workers would begin to receive the wage award along side their November salary, adding that it would be paid for the period of six months.
While restating the commitment of the Ondo State Government to the welling being of its workforce, Ogundele recalled the state had commenced monthly payment of additional ten thousand naira to all its retirees and provided buses to commute workers to and from work to assuage the hardship occasioned by the fuel subsidy removal even before the announcement of palliative arrangements by federal government, making the state one of the first states to take such steps.
According to him, other measures put in place as palliative measure would continue to run concurrently with the payment of wage award until a lasting solution is found to the current economic situation in the country.
He added that arrangement was almost completed to capture pensioners in the state’s health insurance scheme, Oranghis, which all workers are currently enjoying, noting that medicals formed the major expenses of most of the retirees.
He therefore urged workers to reciprocate the good gesture by re dedicating themselves to excellent service while the union leadership should sustain the atmosphere of constructive engagement that is currently being adopted.
The state chairmen of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Victor Amoko, the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Comrade Clement Fatukasi and Joint Negotiation Committee, Comrade Ademola Olapade while reacting at the meeting, lauded the state government for listening to the yearnings of workers,. particularly setting the pace in the south western states and some other parts of the country.
They however enjoined the government not to relent in its efforts to bring succor to the workers and retirees as the current economic situation in the country has rendered the current salaries of workers inadequate to meet their basic needs.
Earlier, the state Accountant General of the state, Mrs Toyin Oni, had presented before the meeting, the receipt from FAAC and the proposed disbursement template as it has been the routine since the inception of Governor Akeredolu’s administration.