May Day 2014: Gov Dickson Advocates a Non-Partisan Civil Service

As the country gears up for the 2015 general elections, workers in Bayelsa State have been urged not to allow the political class to use them to push interests, that are inimical to the state.

Governor Seriake Dickson, who gave the advice during the May Day celebration at the Peace Park in Yenagoa, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the welfare of the workers.

He also reiterated his preparedness to engage the organized labour in discussing matters affecting their conditions of service and the wellbeing of Bayelsa at all times.

The Governor stressed the need for civil servants to tread carefully, noting that greedy politicians, who do not have the interest of the state at heart, would stop at nothing to infiltrate labour with a view to actualizing their sinister agenda.

While commending the state workforce for contributing to the achievements of the present administration, he emphasized that, all ongoing reforms of the government were intended to enhance efficient administration and productivity of the civil service.

According to the Governor, “In view of the times that we are in, the organized labour should work hard to ensure that you don’t allow people, who want to contest for various offices to infiltrate your ranks, and even when you have legitimate complaints, let us not see political colour in them.

“ Even when we disagree, we remain open to work with you and engage you all, because in the first place, we are all citizens of Bayelsa State. So, we all have this state to develop by working together. There is no “us and them” situation, and as I keep saying, we your political leaders are only tenants in this building called the public service, while the real landlords are yourselves. So, value the change that has come to you.”

Also speaking, the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah rtd, urged workers to be patient, assuring that government would do everything within its reach to ensure that all civil servants in the state were paid the arrears of the 18 per cent minimum wage.

Responding to some of the issues raised by labour, the Deputy Governor noted, that in line with its policy of promoting efficiency of workers, the present administration has not only reopened the state public service training institute, but also appointed a Director General to oversee it.

According to him, the government has already acquired land to build the permanent site of the institute, adding that work on the project would commence soon.

In a joint address, the state councils of the Nigeria LabourCongress and Trade Union Congress expressed appreciation to Governor Dickson for commencing payment of the N18,000 minimum wage arrears and pension gratuities to retirees.

Delivering the address, which captured the theme of this year’s May Day celebration as, “ Building Enduring Peace and Unity: Panacea for Sustainable National Development”, the state NLC Chairman, Mrs Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai also lauded government over the construction of modern school infrastructure in all parts of the state.

The two umbrella workers’ unions, however, appealed to the state government to implement the 22 per cent consolidated salary for media workers allowances with arrears from July, 2012 to March, 2013 and the release of the operational vehicle already approved for the state-owned Niger Delta Television.

While requesting government to issue a standing order to pay N250 million as monthly contribution into the Pension Fund Account, the Congresses, also called for a further reduction of the Personal Income Tax Act (PITA) by 50 per cent to ameliorate the financial stress on civil servants in the state.