The 2021 May Day celebration in Anambra State, organized by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress, was not only spectacular but was also emotion-laden. The atmosphere radiated mixed feelings of farewell and thanksgiving to a man of vision and mission, a leader endowed with wisdom and intellectual prowess, Chief Dr. Sir Willie Obiano, the alert Governor and the most labour-friendly Governor in Nigeria.
Saying goodbye to your best friends is never an easy task. However, a farewell is necessary before friends can meet again; and meeting again, after moments of a lifetime, is certain for those who are friends.
Though represented by his deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke, workers used the opportunity to express their gratitude to Governor Obiano for his love, care and benevolence in the past seven years. It is noteworthy that the 2021 Workers’ Day was the last of such the governor celebrated with the workers, other things being equal.
Workers at the Ekwueme Square, on that May Day, poured encomiums on Governor Obiano. This is because Governor Obiano has honoured and touched the lives of many workers, which compelled the Federal Government of Nigeria in 2019 to announce Akpokuedike as the winner of that year’s Award as the Most Outstanding Governor On Workers’ Welfare.
The award was organized by the Office of the Secretary to the Federal Government, Abuja. Akpokuedike was recognized out of others in the thirty-six states and Abuja for his “labour-friendly policies, prompt payment of wages and salaries, as well as commitment to human capital development”.
No doubt, every rational thinker should applaud Akpokuedike, bearing in mind his outstanding and exemplary disposition to the welfare of workers and pensioners in the state. It would be recalled that the multiple award-winning governor, soon after his inauguration on March 17, 2014, keyed into the vision of the United Nations by recognizing the imperative of a motivated workforce. This, he proved, by increasing workers’ salaries by fifteen percent in 2015, the increase he repeated in subsequent years.
In addition, his administration formulated an unprecedented policy of ensuring that on or before the twenty-fifth of every month, workers smile to the banks to receive their salaries. This feat has made workers to nickname Governor Obiano as the “alert governor”. Furthermore, Akpokuedike has demonstrated in unmistakable terms that workers’ welfare is sine–qua-non to enhanced productivity by ensuring that every year their leave allowances are paid along their December salaries.
Also, workers are given a bag of Anambra rice every December. No other state government has achieved this feat. Governor Obiano equally ensures that promotions are in line with the civil service rules. More so, the present administration procured many mass transit buses to ply major cities to convey workers to work from their places of residence at highly subsidized rates.
In addition, the governor approved the scheduling of the Anambra Broadcasting Service and the Anambra Newspapers and Printing Corporation Staff into the Pension Scheme as well as liquidated the arrears of gratuities and pensions owed their retired staff. Teachers handling core subjects and those in hard to reach areas earn higher than other workers as Akpokuedike gives them additional incentive as motivation.
The irony of this rare show of commitment of the governor is that it is happening at a time when some states still owe their workforce some months of arrears of salaries. While some state governments are involved in one faceoff or the other with the labour unions in their states, the labour unions in Anambra maintain a high level of cordiality with the Obiano administration.
In fact, most labour unions in the state have at different occasions given the governor The Most Workers-Friendly Governor in Nigeria award for showing strong and positive disposition towards the welfare of the workers.
Akpokuedike, you have been the friend of workers; that in itself is a tremendous thing. Odogwu Ndi Olu, workers in Anambra state happily say, may the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of His hands, Amen.
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