May Day Celebration Comrade Onu Edoka Speech

Speech presented by the Kogi state Chairman Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Onu Edoka on behalf of NLC/TUC, Kogi State Councils during the 2020 workers day celebration held at Lokoja on 1st May 2020.
Protocol.
INTRODUCTION
I thank God Almighty for counting us worthy to witness another International Workers’ Day celebration worldwide. Even though, this year’s edition is taken a different mode of celebration, as a result of the emergence of a worldwide pandemic, that is ravaging the whole world, that is COVID-19, we must still acknowledge His supremacy over us all.
It is very unfortunate that, workers cannot celebrate this year Workers Day with funfair due to the prevalence of Global and National Emergency occasioned by COVID-19, which came at this time, when workers are compelled to make painful sacrifices to preserve their health and that of their families.
Fellow workers, we must appreciate God and His Excellency for the peace, security and COVID-19 free atmosphere currently existing in the State, however we advise all of us to adhere strictly to the protocols laid down by WHO, NCDC, and Government at all levels in mitigating the spread of Covid -19 Pandemic.
Equally, we call on the State Government to recruit more health personnel at all levels and also to provide adequate health facilities for our health professionals and institutions in the state so as to be fully prepared to curtail any outbreak of disease. I want to assure you all that by the Grace of God we are all going to survive this period and make history out of the pandemic.
May 1st every year is marked all over the world in honour of our heroes who were sanctioned to death for demonstrating for a better working condition in 1886 at Haymarket Square, Chicago, USA. In Nigeria, the celebration was granted for the first time in 1981, during the Second Republic and since then, it has remained an annual occasion where workers felicitate with their employers in an atmosphere devoid of master-servant relationship.
The theme for this year celebration is “60 Years of Nationhood: Insecurity, Wage, Poverty and the Future of Work in Nigeria”. All the issues captured in our theme are critical and can define our political, economic and welfare trajectories as a people; but our concern today is how to survive Covid – 19 and build a political economy that will keep our country out of imminent recession.
Comrades, you will all agree with me that the relationship between us and the State Government has improved considerably in the last one to two years. Unlike in the early days of this administration when there was a yawning gap between them and us that created a cat and rat relationship.
This cordial relationship resulted from the magnanimity of His Excellency who over the years at every forum, always promised to put on the front burner the welfare of all Kogi Civil Servants. This he has demonstrated through regular payment of salaries in recent times; Kudos to His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello.
However, we have a challenge in our hands over April 2020 salary which we are currently dialoguing, and we do hope that workers will not be short-changed in any form. We pray for fair deal from the State Government.
However, Organized Labour will henceforth not entertain any justification for salary reduction especially at the Local Government and Primary School Levels.
May I use this occasion to inform you all that, apart from the payment of salaries, the entire Kogi Civil Servants are looking up to His Excellency to consider the payment of their 30% balance of their August to December 2017 salaries and other Salary arrears, annual increments, promotion cash-backing and leave bonuses, all of which were last implemented about eight (8) years ago. Above all, is the immediate implementation of the N 30,000= New Minimum Wage approved for all workers since April last year by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
On behalf of the entire Kogi State Civil Service, I hereby express our sincere and heart-felt appreciation to our amiable Governor for setting up the Minimum Wage Committee. However the duration allotted to the committee has since elapsed. We therefore use this medium to call on the Dr. (Mrs.) Folashade Arike Ayoade led 17-man committee to expedite action on its assignment.
Issues emanating from the Screening Exercise still persist.
There are still several Civil Servants whose careers have been truncated as a result of this exercise. I am not talking of those whose actions or inactions have been proved to be inimical to the growth of the State, such which must be duly punished, but those with genuine cases, especially at the Local Government and Primary School levels, whose only means of livelihood had been denied as a result of minor infractions.
On this, I thank and appreciate first and foremost, His Excellency for his kindness, clemency granted and the approval given to the inestimable and onerous review exercise done by the Head of Service, Kogi State, Deaconess Deborah Adefunnke Ogunmola. Secondly, we appreciate her efforts towards ameliorating the conditions of this category of workers.
However, may I plead with His Excellency to grant a passionate reconsideration to few other cases that still lingers? For instance, cases of stale statement of results/certificates, their transcripts to show for authenticity should suffice. We shall be grateful if early consideration is granted to enable them benefit from the April 2020 salary.
Furthermore, let me use this medium to once again appeal to His Excellency to lift the embargo on Trade Unions activities at our Tertiary Institutions that have lasted for almost four years now; this embargo has indeed hinders robust Industrial relations practices in our higher institutions.
While, we appreciate the employment done in the State core Civil Service last year, especially for Lawyers and other health professionals, we cannot fail to bring to the attention of His Excellency that there is urgent need for fresh Human Resources, especially in the Core Ministries and in the Secondary School Sector.
There is no denying the fact that most offices and secondary schools are getting empty as a result of death and retirement of Civil Servants. This category of workers needs to be replaced urgently before their colleagues live service.
Comrades, it may surprise you that virtually all those whose services were transferred to the State at inception from both Kwara and Benue States have all retired. While those employed at State creation in 1991 are now 29 years in service. By virtue of the Public Service Rule (PSR) 020808, which states that “the compulsory retirement age for all grades in the service shall be 60 years or 35 years of length of service, whichever is earlier”.
Based on foregoing, there is urgent need to attract fresh hands into the service to understudy those in this category before they bow out in about 5 to 6 years time.
Compatriots, permit me to use this medium to reiterate our earlier position on some Circulars and Policies of the government that are not in consonant with the spirit of the Public Service Rules.
Some of which include the appointment of retired Civil Servants to Offices which by Law should be occupied by serving Civil Servants. Such practices, if allowed to fester could result into frustration on the part of an average Civil Servant who at inception of his/her career aimed to get to the pinnacle of his/her career.
In addition, is the suspension of training and retraining of workers/study leave with pay for all categories of workers? We appeal for the lifting of this suspension because training of workers/study leave with pay will not only boost productivity and efficiency in service but also promote good governance.
Conclusion
The Organized Labour, Kogi State appreciates the doggedness, perseverance and patience exhibited by the Chairmen and Secretaries of the various Industrial Unions in the state in the struggle for workers welfare.
We appreciate your courage and commitment to the ideals of trade unionism. We therefore charge you all especially the new chairmen and secretaries to remain committed in order to sustain the struggle.
Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen, let me end this address by charging all of us as workers to remain resolute in our commitment to our duties.
We should all be aware that what we do or refuse to do in that our little office can impact negatively or positively on the development of our dear state. We must be disciplined and remained faithful in any assignment committed into our hands. Above all, we must join hands to up lift Kogi State to an enviable position among the comity of states in Nigeria by shunning all forms of rumour and give this government desirable cooperation.
Happy May Day celebrations! If God wills it, we shall see again in 2021.
Long live the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)!
Long live the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC)!!
Long live Nigerian workers!!!
Long Live Kogi State.!!!!
Long live Nigeria!!!!!
Aluta Continua! Victoria Ascerta!!