Fuel Subsidy: Kwara Gov Announces Working Days Reduction From 5 To 3 After Meeting With Labour Leaders In Ilorin

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq  of Kwara state held a meeting with top labour leaders in the state on Monday and he has explained to them that the recent removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government was done in good faith to stop further damage to the nation’s economy.

The governor has also approved immediate reduction of workdays for the workforce in the state to lessen the impact of the subsidy removal on their earnings. 

A statement made available to Team@orientactualmags.com by  Governor Abdulrazaq’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Rafiu Ajakaye  noted that civil servants in  the state will now work for three days out of the five days in the working week and the civil service authorities are expected to release further guidance on the measure, including how it affects health workers and teachers.

‘Removal of subsidy is definitely a painful decision that the government had to take in the larger interest of the country. It is the cheapest and most sustainable option available to curb criminal bleeding of the resources at the expense of the larger public.

Subsidy regime means Nigeria is running a deficit budget that continues to hurt economic growth and make people poorer. The country has had to borrow to feed a tiny few, while important things like infrastructural development, industrial growth, and job creation receive lesser resources. 

Now that subsidy has been removed as there is no provision for it in the budget anymore, the government is open to veritable ideas from the labour unions on how to redirect the savings for maximum public benefit, including pay rise. 

Mr. President and all of us (Governors) really acknowledge the short-term pains that come with the development, but we are committed to making sure that the interest of the workers and the Nigerian people is protected’ the governor told the labour leaders.

The statement noted that the meeting was attended by the  state NLC Chairman, Comrade Muritala Saheed Olayinka; state TUC Chairman, Comrade Joseph Tunde Meshach; Chairman , Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Kwara state chapter, Dr. Ola Ahmad; Chairman, National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners Association (NAGGMDP) Dr. Yusuf Amuda; Vice Chairman, National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers (NUPPPPROW), Comrade Mrs. Medinat Jimoh; as well as the representatives of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE); among others.

 They were led to the meeting by the Head of Service, Mrs. Susan Modupe Oluwole. 

Comrade Muritala Saheed Olayinka noted that  calling for such a meeting shows good leadership on the part of the governor.

He agreed with AbdulRazaq that dialogue is better than strike action at this time, urging the governor to use his good offices as NGF Chairman to intervene in the national issue for amicable resolutions.

‘As said by you, we know there is a little misunderstanding between leadership of NLC and the representatives of the federal government.  We have discussed it holistically within ourselves at the state level that when a negotiation is ongoing, it doesn’t call for strike demonstration’ he said.

 Also speaking, Comrade Joseph Tunde Meshach, said engagement and dialogue are the best options to resolve the issues while urging  the government to be sincere as they go about the discussion of a new minimum wage for workers and ‘palliatives’ for the poor masses. 

In separate statement made available to  Team@orientactualmags.com by Mr.  Murtala Atoyebi,  the State Head of Service, Mrs. Susan Modupe Oluwole  while announcing the reduction of working days from five to three directed all Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the state to immediately work out a format indicating the alternating workdays for each of the workers under them.

The statement however noted that Susan Oluwole warned the workers against abusing the magnanimity of the governor noting  that the regular monitoring of MDAs by her office would be intensified to ensure strict compliance- Team@orientactualmags.com
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