Barth Abang|6 October 2015|3:37am
I have utmost respect for the leadership of the state as presently constituted with a highly cerebral pilot & co pilot: Professors Benedict Ayade and Ivara Esu; they have shown they got a clear vision considering the Signature Projects of the administration.
Considering our Nigerian standard where paying salaries is an achievement, His Excellency has performed slightly above average, considering the liabilities he inherited; but he deserve to know government is a continuum where you inherit assets & liabilities.
Governor Ben Ayade should also appreciate that the local government workers/state government workers dichotomy might blight his above average performance if not nipped in the bud. Local government workers are first of all CrossRiverians & deserve their wages too.
Organized labour in Nigeria have a penchant for strikes but it seem that is the only language about which the labour leaders' messages are deciphered by government, its agents, negotiators, etc.
Government workers are always accused of several unwholesome practices ranging from truancy, lateness, nonchalance, negligence etc. But government officials also must take a huge portion of the blame, as there are never there to checkmate their down lines.
NLC has well over 4million workers
With over 29 affiliated unions;
however, those who have suffered the most, as in the case under review, are the local government workers.
I would urge the governor to stop the deduction from local government allocation started by his predecessors allowing for autonomy of local councils. Treating this group of CrossRiverians with levity could be an undoing especially for a government that enjoyed so much goodwill from the plains of Calabar -the marshy land of Bakassi to the hills of Obanlikwu.
I believe His Excellency should source for funds and pay up the backlog of salary owed state workers/local government workers, ensure local government have financial autonomy, maintain and improve their internally generated revenue & curb leakages.
State government could ensure local government accounts are audited to reflect best financial practices.
Truth is the National Assembly(NA) has already oked financial autonomy of local government, happy that the present governor was a member of the 7th Assembly which gave its nod.
Several elders have called on organised labour to pick up tools, but before hurriedly picking up tools we need to create a mechanism where this kind of unnecessary strikes in the near future
are averted.
Government and organized labour need to come together to reduce such incidences in the future and the losses that comes to the government, workers and the citizens.
God bless Cross River workers!
God bless Cross River State!
Barth Abang
Is a public affairs analyst/social commentator
