Gov. Nyesom Wike made the commendation during the 2022 Workers Day celebration in Port Harcourt.

Wike, represented by his deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo, urged the workers to remain committed to their work and pledged that government would work together with labour to improve their welfare.

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

Wike stated that government had provided monthly overheads to state public sector to enable them 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, Mrs Batrice Itubo, commended the state government for providing an enabling environment for workers to perform their duties.

Itubo however appealed to government to pay its workers arrears of N30,000 National Minimum Wage, pensions and gratuities to retirees, death benefits to the relations of deceased workers.

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

Similarly, the National Vice Chairman South-South of Labour Party (LP), Mr Prince Ruben, called on government at all levels to improve welfare of workers to enhance productivity.