New Minimum Wage Palava: Soludo Urges Anambra Workers to Exercise Patience, Says Wage Negotiation Ongoing
By Praise Chinecherem
Anambra state Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo has appealed to workers in the state to be patient with his administration as negotiation between the government and organised labour was still ongoing.
The governor gave the assurance during the ongoing 2024 Anambra State Local Government Service Commission Week held at the Prof Dora Akunyili Women’s Development Centre, Awka.
The 6-day programme, themed, “Value Rebirth Through Digital Transformation: Solution ICT Agenda” was aimed at promoting the work of the Local Government Service Commission and celebrate the contributions of local government workers.
Governor described the theme as apt, commending the leadership and members of the Commission for ensuring functional civil service system.
“I commend all of you who toil every day to make the local government system work. It is part of the process of rebuilding the public service from top to bottom and bottom to top, ensuring it cascades down,” he added
Soludo regretted level of ignorance among the workers and their leaders, especially on the minimum wage law, stressing the need for them to study the documents to be properly informed.
“For you to comment on any issue, including demanding for your right and compassionate considerions, you must be properly informed. It’s important you know what the law says, regardless of how unfavorable it is to you,” he stressed.
The governor however assured that the implementation committee set up by his administration would look into the wage as soon as the law is passed by the federal government.
Delivering his Keynote Speech, Former Aviation Minister, Chief Osita Chidoka urged civil servants in the State to eshew all forms of superioty and inferioty complexities but maintain civility in their day to day conducts.
He described civility and servanthood as critical virtues of public servants to ensure effective and efficient service delivery.
Chidoka, former Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) further adviced the workers to place maximum output above minimum wage agitation, stressing that such disposition would assist in growing the state and national economy.
“As important as minimum wage is, maximum output is more important. No amount of digitalization and salary increment will erase systematic failure. That’s why commitment to work is key” he said.
Condemning the trio vices he termed, Nkali, Nkpali, Nmegbu, Chidoka enjoined public servants to replace such vices with virtues of Uche, Uchu & Egwu-Chukwu.
He described Soludo as an embodiment of value addition who practices what he believes, urging him to make such interactive session continuous with different segments of the society.
Earlier, Chairman, Local Government Service Commission, Barr. Vin Ezeaka assured the governor of the Commission’s commitment to carrying out and executing the solution mandate, and to do more.
Among the dignitaries at the function were Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Ernest Ezeajughi, Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Mr. Tony-Collins Nwabunwanne, President General of Anambra State Association of Town Unions, Barr. Titus Akpudo, Transition Committee Chairmen, Traditional Ruler of Okpuno, Igwe Simon Okafor, his Omor and Ogidi counterpart, Igwe Chris Chidume and Igwe Alex Onyido as well as retinue of local government workers.