By Golok Nanmwa ,Jos

Plateau state government will continue to improve the welfare of the civil servants in the state, Governor Simon Lalong has assured.

I would continue to do my best in improving welfare of civil servants in the state .

Lalong made this known while speaking in Jos at the weekend , at a dinner organized by the Nigerian Labour Congress NLC Plateau state chapter, in honor of their former chairman, Comrade Jibrin Banchir who was recently appointed Special Adviser to the governor on Labour matters.

Lalong charged civil servants in the state to raise-up in the area of revenue generation to enable him continue in prompt payment of salaries, pension and other wages of civil servants.

My administration will continue to place priority in the payment of workers salaries, pension and other welfare of civil servants.

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Governor Simon Lalong also revealed that civil servants in the state are among strong stakeholders who ensured his return as governor of the state, particularly in his second term bid.

“My return to government as governor is as a result of the immense support of NLC, even my first tenure was facilitated by Labour, I had an agreement with Labour to upset outstanding salary arrears of my predecessor, which I did, and you rewarded me with second tenure in office, I’m indeed grateful.”

He pledged further that “I shall do more; before the elections , I told my wife to pray so that I am elected again, because I do not want civil servants to experience the bad old days of non payment of salaries.

Lalong told the gathering that he has directed that there should be replacement of vacant positions in government occasioned by deaths and transfer of civil servants.

Speaking earlier, Head of civil service of the state, Izang Azi, had in a speech at the occasion told NLC members that government has secured a land for the construction of civil servant’s housing estate to end the trouble most low cadet civil servants income earners go through in acquiring shelters for their families.

According to the Plateau state Head of service, government expended the sum of 7.2 billion naira to upset the four months salary arrears which “no work no pay policy of the Jonah Jang administration owed workers.

The “no work no pay policy” by Lalong’s predecessor was to serve as punishment to civil servants for embarking on statewide industrial action that lasted about four months, and subsequently landed NLC to the industrial court.

However, the suit against NLC have been withdrawn by the Lalong administration.

National President Nigeria Labour Congress Ayuba Wabba in an address at the dinner through Comrade Innocent Dajiji commended governor Lalong for considering payment of civil servant’s salary a priority.

Comrade Wabba challenged the newly appointed Special Adviser not to abandoned his constituency (NLC) while in government as an adviser to the governor, “be an ambassador of our great union, your constituency (the NLC).” Wabba insist.

The NLC President charged governor Lalong to ensure completion of ongoing projects in the state, he assured the governor of NLC commitments in contributing their quota as civil servants to develop Plateau state and Nigerian as a whole.

Acting NLC chairman in the state Comr Yarlings Gunshin, had in a welcome address tasked the governor to implement the 30,000 minimum wage recently signed into law by President Muhammadu

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Lalong vows to improve welfare of civil servants