Marking of the yearly Workers’ Day popularly known as May Day was marred with protest in Edo State as
some pensioners who retired from Edo State civil service in 2012 protested the non-payment of their gratuities at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium venue of this year’s Workers Day.
This followed announcement of a new minimum wage of N40,000 for the state civil servants by governor of the state, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, just as he called on the Federal Government to declare an state of emergency on food security.
The pensioners who wore all black attires carried placards as they appealed to Obaseki to rescue them by paying them their gratuities.
One of them, Irene Aiguobarueghian said since their retirement, they have only been getting their monthly pay but yet to get their gratuity.
She said: “We have come here to come and beg the governor to please pay us. Since 2012, he has collected our money and he has not paid us; till now, he has not said anything about our gratuity, we are begging him to pay us. We have been receiving monthly pay but he has not said anything about our gratuity”
But Obaseki said to avoid such cases of pensioners being owed, his administration has keyed into the contributory pension scheme.
He said his administration has paid all pension arrears and would soon commence the next stage which is the various adjustments that have been made in the past.
He said: “We are not a government that runs away from responsibilities, we will look for a way out to clear all the gratuities. We have cleared all the pension arrears and we will now focus on all the adjustments. I have directed that all the harmonized amounts we have agreed upon, we will begin payment by May this year.
“The purchasing power of an average worker continues to decrease. I want to appeal to the federal government to declare a state of emergency on food security, if this is not done, we cannot predict what will happen next.
“For optimum performance of our workers, we have resolved to do an upward review of the salary of workers of Edo State so the Edo State government has now resolved to increase the minimum wage of Edo State civil servant to N40,000 per month”
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Earlier in their speeches, the two workers’ unions, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) applauded the governor on the development of infrastructure in the state.
The Acting State Chairman of NLC, Comrade Odion Olaye called on the state government to equip members of the vigilante who have been providing security.
He also called for proper funding of the state owned tertiary institutions by reviewing the ratio 65%:35% subvention.
He further appealed to the state house of assembly to vote local government autonomy and autonomy to judicial workers in the on-going review of the 1999 constitution besides appealing for the ,aztreconstruction of dilapidated public schools where students still learn without chairs and roofs.
