Fubara Roars: There Is No Challenge We Cannot Overcome
● Says he cannot be intimidated to abandon his plan for the Rivers people
By Jonas Happy
Rivers workers under the auspices of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC. on Wednesday gathered at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt to celebrate the Workers Day.
“There is no challenge we cannot overcome”, Governor Siminalayi Fubara stressed on Wednesday.
Addressing workers on the occasion of this year’s Workers Day, held at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt, the governor noted that with the support of the Almighty, all obstacles placed on the way would be removed.
He declared, “I reassure you that our faith in God is strong and with Him on our side there is no challenge that we cannot overcome.
“It is important for us to work together to defend the collective interest of our state and advance the well-being of all.”
Fubara who emphasized that he will not be intimidated said he had promised at the start of his tenure that the administration will be worker-friendly.
Noting that his intent is to keep the promise, the governor pledged that the Rivers State Government will not hesitate to pay new wages approved for workers.
He gifted the celebrating workers with the sum of one hundred million naira and disclosed that he has fulfilled his pledge to release N250 million for the completion of the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT.
The Rivers Governor assured that he would sustain the free bus service and equally ensure that palliatives meant to ameliorate the suffering of workers are provided on a timely basis.
“We have promised you service delivery and nothing will change it”, the State’s top helmsman stated, “It is our promise here again to the people of Rivers State and the Nigerian Labour Congress and the world that we will remain focused.”
Governor Siminalayi Fubara (second from left) accompanied by his Deputy, Prof Ngozi Odu stand with labour leaders on the occasion of Workers Day.
He acknowledged that after God, power belongs to the people, saying that without the backing of the people no government can survive.
He regretted that the projected growth of the civil service and the promotion of civil servants were unnecessarily stagnated in the last decade, saying his administration is taking steps to correct the wrongs of an immediate past and the pains that the era of neglect inflicted on labour.
“Let me assure you”, Governor Fubara remarked, ‘that we are going to work with the Federal Government to implement necessary measures” that are intended to benefit the people.
According to him, “the continuation of free bus services” as well as “the provision of necessary palliatives to ameliorate the current hardship faced by ordinary citizens” will form part of the measures, Fubara promised.
No amount of intimidation, pressure and harassment, Fubara added, would deter his government from making the people the centrepiece of his administration.