Delta State Government, Tuesday, assured protesting members of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state that it will look at the challenges confronting them with a view to communicating same to the Federal Government.
The Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Kingsley Emu gave the assurance while addressing the protesters who were at the entrance of Government House, Asaba, for a peaceful protest against hardship in the country.
Dr. Emu who applauded the workers for the peaceful protest, implored them not to allow hoodlums to hijack it, adding that their request would be presented to the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori for onward presentation to the Federal Government.
He said: “I want to thank the Nigerian workers for your considerations and kind talks today. Your Governor sends his greetings.
“Your leadership has made a good case for you. The issue is not just affecting you but also our brothers and sisters. So, we are concerned Nigerians; whether you are working or not.
“Governor Oborevwori is a caring governor and we shall take all of these you have said to him. Before he ascended power, he told you he was going to take care of a lot of bills.
“First, is the pension and I am sure you know that that pension has been aggressively addressed. The second is the issue of your promotion arrears; you also know that it has been taken care of.
“He rescheduled your work days to suit your wallets and we consistently kept to that. He said he was going to give out some stipends for some months and he has done that. He is somebody who cares for you and I am sure you appreciate him.
“When he made those commitments, Nigeria has not gotten to a cross road, we didn’t have this kind of economic hardship. He feels your pains because he is in tune with the streets and understands the market and he is connected to his people”.
He disclosed that Labour case vis-a-vis the hardship in the country, was a pandemic, adding that everybody feels that pain, saying “no matter how the organs of the federal government tries to disguise the matter.”
“Your plights, worries and conditions will be taken back to the governor. We are all angry. You are not the only one angry. As citizens of Delta State, we are angry because while we protect our state, we are still vulnerable to external migration of people who don’t live in the state.”
He, therefore, called on the federal government to listen to the cry of labour, adding that there are too many cities where the Federal government should have sent out CNG buses; even as he noted that that was part of the promises made to the Nigerian workers by the federal government.
Earlier, the First Vice Chairman of Delta State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Ziko Okwudi said that they were in Government House to register their protest against the present economic hardship in the country.
Comrade Okwudi noted that the wage award promised workers by the federal government has not been honoured, stressing that despite all the agreements reached with federal government as it affects the interest and welfare of Nigerian workers, the federal government has been very inactive and insensitive to the plights of the Nigerian people.
“We have come today, because we know that by the grace of God, when this new Government came to power, over time, we have began to understand that the man at the helms of affairs in Delta State, ordinarily is not supposed to be a politician by his conduct and his attitude but destiny has given him the opportunity to lead Delta State.
“So, by so doing we have called him a politician and because he is a politician today, we know his disposition towards the plight of the people. He is a man that is very blunt when it comes to speaking the truth.
“All the federal government has promised the Nigerian workers, we are yet to see any that has materialised”, the NLC first Vice Chairman stated.
Nigerians, according to him, are being controlled by hunger, pointing out “when a man is hungry, he is angry and an angry man is insane and at that point of insanity, anything we do will be termed as hungry and we will not be held responsible”.
PRESS UNIT,
GOVERNMENT HOUSE, ASABA
