Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has resolved to implement outstanding promotion of the state’s civil servants and fulfil his promise of employing 10,000 youths into the civil service.
The governor said he had forwarded the list of members of the Civil Service Commission immediately to the House of Assembly for screening to enable the commission to oversee the process.
Wike spoke on Thursday when he hosted a delegation, led by the chairmen of the state branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Alex Agwanwor, and the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), Emechete Chuku, at Government House in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The governor accused the former NLC leader in the state, Beatrice Itubo, of peddling lies against his administration that pensioners were owed 15 months of entitlements.
He said: “We have been paying pension and gratuities every month. Not less over N3 billion is set aside for that purpose, including payment of benefits.
“In fact, the former Accountant General of the state told me yesterday that those of 2016 and 2017 have been cleared, but you hear her (Itubo) go to say that we have not paid for 15 months. That is unfair.
“How will a government – it has never happened in this state – that built a secretariat for NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the same time be anti-labour?”
Wike alleged that Itubo was also involved in other antagonistic activities that destroyed the cordial relationship that once existed between the workers and the state government.
The governor blamed her for the delay workers experienced in getting their due promotion, stressing that with the new NLC executive in place, promotion would be implemented for workers expeditiously.
Also, Rivers State Chairman of Joint Negotiating Council, Emechete Chuku, acknowledged the unequalled infrastructural development strides of the Wike’s administration.
