NIGERIAN Workers across the 36 states of the federation yesterday, joined their counterpart in the rest of the world to mark this year’s May Day, with some smiling home, while others left in despair.

While it was jubilation in few states, including Edo, where the governor announced a new minimum wage of N25, 000 for the state workers, and few others, it was lamentation and despair, in most other states.

A Cross section of Workers Match Pasts, during the 2013 Workers Day Commemoration by The Lagos state Council of Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Theme: 100 Year of Nationhood, The Challenges of National Development, held at Onikan Stadium, Lagos. Photo: Bunmi Azeez

EDO
Simon Ebegbulem, reports from Benin City that Governor Adams Oshiomhole shocked workers of the state, when he announced an increase of the N18,000 minimum wage to N25,000 for the least Edo worker.

The governor also assured workers in some Local Government Areas such as Egor, who had not been paid for the past seven months, that his administration was liaising with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to ensure that their own bailout fund was released, describing the plight of the affected workers as pathetic.

Chairmen of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, Emmanuel Ademoku and Marshal Ohue, commended the governor for the prompt payment of workers’ salaries in the state, asserting that they had enjoyed cordial relationship with the Comrade Governor, whom according to them had made them proud.

CROSS RIVER
IN Calabar, Governor Ben Ayade stunned labour leaders and workers when he announced the payment of salaries for the month of May on the first day of the month.

A mild drama immediately ensued when the workers who were at the U.J. Esuene Stadium for the May Day celebration each began to receive salary payment alert from their various banks.

Unable to contain the excitement, shouts of ‘alert, alert rent the stadium as the workers went into a frenzy, singing the praises of the governor.
Before now, the governor had paid salaries between the 13th and 20th day of each month.

Ayade told the workers, who named him the Best Labour Friendly Governor in Nigeria, that his administration had a duty to give workers in the state a sense of dignity.

LAGOS
According to Olasunkanmi Akoni and Monsur Olowoopejo, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterdayshunned the May Day celebrations in Lagos against high expectation by workers who trooped out to mark the celebration.

Consequently, workers who gathered at the Onikan Stadium, venue of the celebration, after listening speeches by their leaders, booed the state Head of Service, Mrs. Olabowale Ademola, who represented the governor.
They refused to do the traditional march pass, demanding to know why the governor was absent.

OGUN
Daud Olatunji reports from Abeokuta that workers urged Governor Ibikunle Amosun to take their welfare seriously, calling on the Federal Government to fix the economy, bad roads and epileptic electricity supply and others.
In his address, Governor Amosun commended the workers for dedication to duty, pledging that the government would continue to place high premium on their welfare.

EKITI
Rotimi Ojomoyela reports from Ado-Ekiti- that the event was devoid of the usual fanfare as a result of the four months salaries owed workers by the state government and the death of the six doctors in an auto crash along Kaduna road last Sunday.
The workers offered prayers  for the rejuvenation of the country’s economy to enhance prompt payment of salaries and other benefits, and also praying to God to grant the families of the dead doctors the fortitude to bear the monumental loss.

BENUE
According to Peter Duru from Makudi, labour leaders urged the state government to clear the backlog of salaries owed workers in the state or be prepared for a showdown with the workers.
In his speech, the Acting Governor, Mr. Benson Abounu attributed the non-payment of salary to the decline in the allocation accruing to the state.
He added that government was on the same age with the workers in their yearning for better welfare, promising that the administration was working hard towards that.

AKWA IBOM
Chioma Onuegbu, reports from Uyo that Governor Udom Emmanuel called on workers in the state to join the Contributory Pension Scheme to enjoy the benefits, even as he equally urged the labour leaders to fix a date for him to meet with the workers and brainstorm on the issue.

ABIA
According to Anayo Okoli from Umuahia, labour leaders lamented that workers were afraid to retire because state pensioners had not been paid their gratuities and pensions, saying some arrears of salary of workers were still outstanding and called on Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to clear the arrears of salaries.
Speaking, Governor Ikpeazu accused the workers of contributing to problems, especially in ghost workers’ syndrome.

BAUCHI
Suzan Edeh reports from Bauchi that labour leaders called on state government to always consult widely with stakeholders before embarking on any verification exercise to guard against future embarrassment, saying: ”The labour union envisaged the herculean task ahead of this administration because of the mishandling of the economy and diversion of our common resources by the past administrations”
Speaking, Governor Mohammed Abubakar, represented by his deputy, Nuhu Gidado, said “reports coming out from the exercise are quite revealing. The outcome will be made public as soon as it is concluded. I call on workers to take the exercise in good faith.”

ENUGU
Emeka Mamah, reports from Enugu that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi said his administration would address the issue of salary adjustment chart for workers as soon as the on-going biometric data exercise in the state was concluded.

Labour leaders in the state had earlier demanded among others, improved welfare for workers, while commending the governor for what he had been doing since assumption of office.

OSUN

Gbenga Olarinoye, reports from OSOGBO, that Governor Rauf Aregbesola, told workers that the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, had confirmed to the state through a letter that it never indicted the state on the disbursement of the bail-out loan.
He said the state got N25.8 billion bailout for state “and N9.1 billion for local government, totaling N34.9 billion. So, we can all see that this is a far cry from what we needed and asked for. We got this far only because of exceptional financial engineering, extreme prudence and commendable cooperation of Labour.
Earlier labour leaders commended the commitment of the workers in the state in the face of harsh economic conditions and added that workers had passion for the development of the state, which explained why workers decided to troop out in celebration of Workers’ Day.

KOGI

BOLUWAJI OBAHOPO, reports from Lokoja, workers were over whelmed with joy as Governor Yahaya Bello, said the bailout applied for by the state government was ready and N20 billion first tranche had been released to offset part of the salary arrears owed workers.
Labour leader had earlier , regretted that the present situation was not the best of time for civil servants in the state, saying , “The Kogi state workers and the working class generally have never been confronted with the kind of gloomy prospects like we have today. Although, congress has always resisted the urge to call her members on industrial action, the last two strikes embarked upon by the NLC were necessitated by governments insensitivity to the plight of the working people”.

DELTA
According to Festus Ahon from Asaba, labour leaders issued the State Government a 21 -day ultimatum to restore the two lecturers; Ogidi Tobechukwu and Anthony Ezaga, sacked by the state Polytechnic, Ogwash-Uku.
Speaking, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa said with the dwindling revenue from the Federation Accounts, there was the need for workers to readjust to the present economic realities.

ADAMAWA

Umar Yusuf, reports from Yola that workers warned the government that they were running out of patience over unpaid salaries and other entitlements to members.

Reacting to the threat of the organized labour, the Deputy Governor of the state, Mr Martins Babale promised that government would look into the complaints of the workers with a view to addressing them soonest.

NIGER
Wole Mosadomi, reports from Minna that labour leaders called on the state government to give priority to workers’ welfare immediately or face Industrial action, saying the workers had exercise enough patience in last one year.
governor Abubakar Sani Bello in his address said the ongoing verification was not aimed at witch hunting anybody but to actually know the numbers of the workers in the state and to eliminate ghost workers and rake in money for development.

KWARA

Demola Akinyemi, reports from Ilorin that labour leaders threatened to embark on an indefinite strike if the state government refused to offset unpaid salaries of councils workers , primary school teachers as well as pensioners arrears and six months unpaid salaries of staff of water corporation in the state.
Speaking, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed promised workers that his administration’s strategies in reducing the cost of governance and the renewed revenue generation mechanism would ensure prompt payment of salaries and pensions.

BAYELSA

According to Emem Idio, from YENAGOA, following nonpayment of salaries of civil servants and pensioners in the state, workers commemorated the annual Workers’ Day in a low key.
Speaking, Governor Seriake Dickson who was represented by the Head of Service, Dr Peter Singabele, thanked the workers for their peaceful disposition and understanding, described the present economic situation as global and not peculiar to the state alone.

BORNU

NDAHI MARAMA reports from MAIDUGURI that labour leaders urged Governor Kashim Shettima and members of the committee on verification of workers to be transparent in the exercise to avoid the wrath of labour.

Responding, Governor Shettima promised to do everything possible with the scarce resources of the state to improve on the welfare of civil servants across the state.