By Faith Igbudu
Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Hon. Matthew Aboh, has promised to give priority to the welfare of staff of the ministry and its parastatals for enhanced productivity.
Hon. Aboh made the promise last Friday while playing host to joint executive members of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) The Voice Chapel and National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers (NUPPPPROW), both of Benue Printing and Publishing Corporation (BPPC), publishers of The Voice Newspaper at his office in Makurdi.
He told the joint EXCO that he has done a tour of the facility and was aware of the prevailing challenges, saying efforts are in place to ensure such issues are tackled.
The Commissioner promised to immediately take up the issue of weigh-in allowance which has been denied them for so long while other issues of confirmation of casual staff, staff accommodation and the changing of BPPC to Directorate would be considered by the governor as resources permit.
Earlier, Chairman of NUJ, Comrade James Shim, told the Commissioner, that the joint EXCO was in his office to appreciate God for his safe release from the cruel hands of kidnappers and to express solidarity with him over his posting as head of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism.
Comrade Shim listed the challenges workers of the corporation were facing to include: nonpayment of weigh-in allowance, dehumanizing working condition, casualization of staff, lack of accommodation and working tools among others and appealed for action towards improving them.
He, on behalf of the staff, pledged unalloyed loyalty to the Alia administration and prayed that God will protect, guide and bless those in leadership of the state to do what is right.
Also speaking, chairman NUPPPPROW, Comrade Moses Akawe, explained that staff of the corporation were competent and ready to work, saying staff will give their best if provided the right working environment, adding that the organization has produced renowned journalists who were impacting on the society in various ways.
