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Distinguished people of our dear Ogun State. Greatest Nigerian Workers. Greatest workers of Ogun State. Today marks the global Workers Day. As is the tradition, we are all supposed to gather today in honour of our great workers, who are undoubtedly a group of major stakeholders in the Ogun State project. But, for obvious reasons, this year Workers’ Day becomes peculiar and different from many in the past because we are unable to have the grand commemoration in honour of our great workers. This is because of the measures in place, including physical distancing as necessitated by the prevailing situation across the globe, in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, which is commonly called COVID-19.
2. Let me say that the unfortunate inability to celebrate our great Workers in grand style comes with an unavoidable pain as a stab in the heart. On one hand, it would go down in history as the first in the tenure of our Administration. As a child of public servants, I grew up with the memory of May Day commemoration, as an important day to all workers. looking back the last 44 years which marks the birth of our dear State, we thank God for the various achievements that our State has recorded in the comity of States. This has made Ogun State an envy of other States. We must also appreciate the fact that all these achievements are made possible majorly as a result of the professionalism, dedication, commitment, loyalty and steadfastness of Ogun State workers. These are attributes you have inherited from our forebears. Without doubt, our great workers deserve to be celebrated. In the face of all these, one can only come up with a thin line of consolation that it is not caused by any insensitivity of Government or people of Ogun State but essentially as a consequence of a global event with attendant public health and safety concerns.
3. In another dimension, the fight against COVID-19 has brought to the fore the Ogun State spirit and why we are truly trailblazers in Nigeria. The whole world is being ravaged by the novel coronavirus pandemic and we have had to take definite steps to fight it. While we are committed to ensuring that those who have been infected are provided with effective and efficient medicare, we are also working assiduously that the virus is not transmitted to those who are not infected. For example, many of our Public Servants and those in the private sector have had to work from home. In all these, we must also salute the courage and professionalism of our workers, especially our healthcare workers and other frontline officers, who have continued to put their lives on the line to protect the rest of us. On behalf of the good people of Ogun State, I appreciate all the various security agencies for their continued devotion, resilience and patriotism. You are already our heroes and heroines of this century. We will continue to support you and pray for more of your successes in the battlefield. We appreciate you and we pray that God will continue to protect you in the line of duty to humanity.
4. Let me say in a loud voice that, on behalf of the Government and entire people of Ogun State, I specially congratulate all the workers of our dear State, in particular, and Nigeria, in general, under the two Labour Houses, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC); and, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) - on the commemoration of yet another Workers’ Day. The commemoration of the 2020 Workers’ Day is to appreciate and honour the many sacrifices of our dear workers to the continued development of our dear State, in general, and, in the recent fight against COVID-19, in particular. Your individual and collective efforts, in recent years, have provided the strong foundation on which the implementation of our Administration's Building our Future Together Agenda has continued to be built upon.
5. Let me also assure all the people of Ogun State and all those who have made our dear State their home that our Administration will continue to prioritise their welfare and wellbeing at all times. The Government will continue to ensure that the distribution of the relief packages and other items are taken to all communities across our dear State, we, therefore, urge our people to be patient and support even distribution of the packages. This is a difficult time no one foresaw nor wishes to last. Tough times, they say, do not last, but tough people do.
6. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, the celebration of our great workers, particularly at this period of global emergency, is a symbolic representation of our Administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare. I acknowledge the level of commitment, cooperation and understanding that you have continued to demonstrate, particularly, in the last one year of our Administration. You have shown that there are many successes we can achieve together in the development of our dear State.
7. As an Administration, we have continued to demonstrate our commitment to the welfare of our workers, because they are the nerve centre for the policy formulation and successful implementation of Government’s programmes and projects. It is noteworthy that Ogun State remains one of the few States that completed the negotiation for the implementation of the Minimum Wage without rancour. Amongst other initiatives, we have put in a place:
1. Regular and prompt payment of salaries before the end of every month;
2. improved work environment by regular release of Running Cost to our Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and our Public Schools for administrative efficiency and effectiveness;
3. Downward Review of selling price for A.A.K. Degun Estate from N7M to N5.5M for a 3-bedroom semi-detached and N5M to N4M for a 2-bedroom apartment.
4. Refund of N1.5million to some allottees who had completed payment of N7million initial purchase price for the 3-bedroom apartment;
5.Also, relaxation of terms and conditions of sale, including reduction of interest rate from 18% to 6%;
6. The On-going construction of 400 units Prince’s Court for workers at Kemta Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, of which the first phase of 150 units will soon be delivered;
7. Absorption of over 1,000 2018 ASCON Officers into the Civil Service and payment of their 9 months salary arrears;
8. Re-absorption of 28 Community schools and 578 teachers in the Teaching Service;
9.Pardon and re-absorption of some Education Officers in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology whose appointments were terminated by the immediate past administration in the wake of the controversial joint sessional
examination in 2015;
10. Release and approval of promotion arrears of years 2016 & 2017 of over 1,500 teaching and non-teaching staff of the Teaching Service Commission;
11. Appointment and posting of new Principals and Vice Principals in Public Secondary Schools for seamless administration;
12. Payment of COVID-19 Special Hazard Allowance of 200% increase to all Health Workers in the State as well as Special Risk allowance and life insurance for personnel treating COVID-19 patients at the State Isolation Centres.
8. Despite all these, I cannot pretend that I do not understand that our great workers expect an official pronouncement on some issues concerning their career progression and welfare. Some of these issues predate this Administration, nonetheless, we are committed to partnering with labour to address them within the available resources. We have in arrears the promotion exercises of 2018 and 2019, while that of 2020 is due in next few months. There are also the arrears of payment of gratuity to our retirees who have served our dear State meritoriously in their prime years. By far the most pressing however, is the commencement of the payment of the new minimum wage as agreed between Government and Labour, and some others related matters. As part of our Administration’s sincere commitment to fulfil our part of the agreement on the payment, we have set up a joint committee with labour to assess the impact of COVID-19 on staff welfare and identify all the outstanding issues and how these could be addressed in the wake of COVID-19. In the meantime, we are also setting up Staff Loans Board that will, amongst others, facilitate access to loans from banks at very concessionary interest rates and terms.
9. Let me reassure all our great workers and the entire people of our dear State that ours is not an Administration that reneges on its promises nor will we willfully default in same. The reality of our present situation brings into factual understanding of the prayers of our fathers, “May God not allow the unplanned thwart our lofty plans”. As they say “man proposes, God disposes”. Let me reassure all our great workers and the entire people of Ogun State that our Administration will make best endeavours given the prevailing circumstance to deliver on its promises. We appreciate your support, cooperation and prayers. All we ask is that you continue to support, cooperate and pray for us at all times. Our Administration will continue to work closely with you to create the conducive ambience necessary for the development of our workers potentials.
In the meantime, there will be gradual resumption of work in various government offices for certain categories of public servants from Monday, 4th May, 2020. Details will be provided in subsequent communication and circular from the Head of Service. Together, we will build Ogun State of our collective dreams.
10. As a Government, we will not relent in our efforts to continue to join the rest of the world in the fight not only to flatten the curve of the deadly Corona virus, but to end it. And, as we pray for the immediate solution and end it soonest. Residents are enjoined not hesitate to report any case of anyone developing symptoms of the virus in your neighbourhood. Together we shall defeat Corona virus.
11. Let me once again felicitate all workers in our dear State on this day of the commemoration of the 2020 Workers' Day. As I wish all our workers a peaceful commemoration, I implore you to stay safe at this time of COVID-19.
12. In ending this address, let me once again wish all our Muslim brothers and sisters Ramadam Mubarak. I enjoin us to use this opportunity to raise our voices, as individuals and collectively to God. We should pray for ourselves, our nation and humanity, in general. May God accept our fasting as an act of worship to Him and grant us the good rewards in the life and hereafter. May God also consider the holy month of Ramadan to look down on Humanity with His forgiveness and mercy, Ameen.
13. I thank you all for listening and God bless.
Igbega Ipinle Ogun, ajose gbogbo wa ni o!
Prince Dapo Abiodun, MFR
Governor of Ogun State, Nigeria.
Friday, 1st May, 2020.
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