On Monday, Governor Nyesom Wike commended Rivers workers for their commitment to the duty and development of the state.

Mr Wike, who spoke in commemoration of the annual Workers Day, vowed to work with labour unions to improve workers’ welfare.

Represented by his deputy, Ipalibo Banigo, the governor urged workers to remain committed to their work.

According to him, the state government surmounted most of the security challenges facing the state and gave workers a safe work environment.

Mr Wike stated that the government had provided monthly overheads to the state public sector to enable them to perform their duties.

“State Government also provided stipends to all state schools under the State Universal Primary Education Board and senior secondary schools to enhance studies.

“Government has approved the immediate release of monthly pension and salaries of additional 1,191 retirees,” he said.

Earlier, the Chairperson of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in Rivers, Beatrice Itubo, commended the state government for providing an enabling environment for workers to perform their duties.

Mrs Itubo, however, appealed to the government to pay its workers arrears of N30,000 national minimum wage, pensions and gratuities to retirees, and death benefits to the relations of deceased workers.

She urged the government to renovate the state secretariat complex, properly fund tertiary institutions, and reinstate 100 Ahoada West Local Government Council workers wrongly sacked.

(NAN)