Ekiti Organised Labour Rejects Withdrawal Of New Wage

Ekiti Organised Labour Rejects Withdrawal Of New Wage

Gov sets up committee to provide support for poor, vulnerable households, others

The organised labour in Ekiti State has rejected withdrawal of minimum wage and consequential adjustment by the state government.

The organised labour, which comprises the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC), met Governor Kayode Fayemi in a closed-door meeting on the state of the economy, calling for release of subventions to state-owned tertiary institutions.

In a statement signed by NLC Chairman, Kolapo Joshua Olatunde; TUC Chairman, Sola Adigun and JNC Chairman, Kayode Fatomiluyi, after the meeting, the unions condemned any attempt under any guise to further impoverish workers and all vulnerable groups in Ekiti State, describing it as inhumane and unacceptable.

In another development, the governor, yesterday, inaugurated a nine-man committee to give policy direction to the implementation of the COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (CARES) programme designed to support livelihood of the poor and vulnerable households in the state.

Fayemi, while inaugurating the committee members in Ado-Ekiti to mark the formal activation of the programme in the state, said the programme would also support budgeted state government interventions for farmers, artisans, micro and small enterprises affected by economic crisis occasioned by the pandemic.

The steering committee, which is chaired by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Femi Ajayi, according to the governor, will work out modalities that would enable the state to benefit maximally from the World Bank’s COVID-19 intervention programme.

The governor charged the committee to display deep commitment, experience, prudence, transparency and technical expertise that would guarantee a fruitful partnership that could be strengthened and sustained.

He said the implementation of the programme would not only allow state governments to enhance delivery of social safety net, assistance and basic service to the people, but would also increase food security and supply chain as well as facilitate recovery of households and micro enterprises from total economic collapse.

In his address, Ajayi commended the governor for ensuring that all sectors affected by the pandemic were put into consideration and pledged the commitment of the committee to achieve required results in all the 11 Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs).