THE Chairman, Warri North Local Government, Hon. Festus Ashima has promised better days ahead for workers of the local government.
The chairman made this pledge when he received in audience, the state’s President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Comrade Obatarhe Ogberetitinor, and the administrative council members.
Ashima, who thanked the Union leader and his team for the visit, urged him to appreciate the good works the state Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori was doing to develop the state in all areas, including workers’ welfare, noting that the Governor deserved the support of everyone to enable him to do more.
While thanking the branch chairman of the union in the council, Comrade Daniel Akta for being supportive to his administration’s development agenda in the last one year, Hon. Ashima promised to give consideration to all the requests made by NULDE leadership, saying, “the Union has turned partner-in-progress, which must be supported within the limits of available resources”,he stated.
Among the requests made by the NULGE included, a Sienna space bus, Union Secretariat, befitting staff canteen and increase in workers’ claims amongst others .
The council chairman, who was overwhelmed with joy at the Award of Excellence bestowed on him by the Warri North Chapter of NULGE said he was very glad that his efforts in office were being recognized by the people and promised to do more to improve the lives of the people.
“Now I know that the little I think am doing is being appreciated by my constituents, even as I dedicate this award to God Almighty, the state Governor who is my mentor, and the workers of the Council who supported my every effort, from policy formulation to implementation, the chairman noted. Speaking earlier, the state’s President of NULGE, Comrade Obatarhe Ogberetitinor told the Chairman that he and his team were in the council as part of his familiarization tour of the25 council areas, which, he hoped, would enable him gather the needed information to equip his team for the task ahead of them.
The Union leader, who thanked the Chairman for the great work he had been doing in the last one year, also praised him for the marvellous support given to workers in the area, with particular reference to refurbishment of the two dilapidated buses (a 32-seater coaster bus) and an 18-seater Hiace bus) both of which have been equipped with new engines, transformed and made roadworthy for Union use.
In his address to workers, Comrade Obatarhe thanked the state Governor on behalf of council workers for the swift implementation of the minimum wage regime across all council areas and,the efforts being made to speed up payment of retirement benefits/pensions to workers who had retired from service.
