Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti says the current harsh economic climate in the country will not dampen his resolve to ensure a better welfare for state workers.
This is just as he congratulated workers in the state on this year’s Workers Day celebrations, promising them a more conducive working environment.
The governor’s promises are contained in a statement made available to newsmen on Friday in Ado Ekiti by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode.
Fayemi said May Day offered an opportunity to celebrate workers and highlight their importance in the government’s efforts to impact lives of the citizenry.
He said workers’ contribution to the social, and economic development of the state in particular and the country in general could not be overemphasised.
The governor said that workers in Ekiti, in particular, had demonstrated brilliance and commitment in the implementation of his administration’s five-pillar development agenda.
Fayemi also referred to the theme of this year’s May Day celebration, “COVID-19 Pandemic, Social and Economic Crisis: Challenges for Jobs, Social Protection and People’s Welfare”.
He said that making workers happy always remained one of his priority programmes.
” The current harsh economic climate will not dampen my resolve to ensure a better welfare and more conducive working environment for Ekiti workers,” the governor said.
He recalled that political office holders in the state, including himself and top civil servants, recently made sacrifices including pay cuts in their salaries.
This, he said, was not extended to workers during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic last year.
He praised the workers, especially health workers who were in the front line in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic in the state, for their commitment and dedication.
Fayemi said at the risk of their lives to ensure that the state overcame the pandemic.
The governor pointed out that although COVID-19 affected the state’s accruals from the Federation Account and its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), his administration would continue to accord workers’ welfare a priority.
He said that his administration was conscious of the demands of the Organised Labou, assuring that they were being looked into and would be implemented as the state’s economic situation improves.
Fayemi said his administration had made it a duty to pay workers’ salaries and retirees’ pension regularly since his assumption of office.
He said that new workers were also recruited to inject fresh blood into the system.(NAN)
