The leadership of organized labour in Bayelsa State, comprising the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has defended the ongoing construction of a nine-storey state secretariat, insisting the project is not a misplaced priority but a long-overdue response to workers’ needs.
The statement, jointly signed by NLC Chairman Barnabas Simeon and TUC Chairman Laye Julius, dismissed as misleading the remarks by former commissioner, Engr. Udengs Eradiri, who described the massive infrastructure project as irrelevant to the state’s workforce.
“The attention of Organized Labour in Bayelsa State has been drawn to a statement credited to Engr. Udengs Eradiri which suggests that the construction of the new secretariat is unnecessary. We find this assertion both unfounded and unfortunate,” the labour leaders stated.
For over seven years, labour unions have consistently demanded a befitting, work-friendly secretariat. This demand, they noted, has featured prominently in successive Workers’ Day speeches. During this year’s May Day celebration, NLC and TUC publicly applauded Governor Douye Diri for finally addressing the longstanding request by awarding the contract for the multi-storey secretariat.
According to the unions, the need for expanded office space became particularly urgent following the employment of 1,000 new staff in 2019, including automatic appointments for First Class graduates and the regularization of casual workers. The Diri-led administration has also greenlit the recruitment of an additional 1,000 civil servants, placing further strain on the already overstretched office infrastructure.
“In some cases, directors are forced to share cramped spaces with junior staff, diminishing productivity and distorting the chain of command. It’s not unusual to see clerical officers and management personnel working in the same room due to space constraints,” the statement emphasized.
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Labour also highlighted how critical ministries and agencies, such as the State Ministry of Health and the Hospital Management Board are squeezed into a single floor, while some commissions operate from multiple scattered locations, impeding efficiency.
They stressed that Bayelsa trails other Niger Delta states in providing a conducive work environment and that the completion of the secretariat will eliminate the recurring cost of renting office spaces for government agencies. Notably, the state’s Higher Education Loans Board currently operates out of a privately leased building.
“We pleaded with His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, to build this edifice, and he obliged. For this, we remain grateful. The project is iconic, essential, and timely. We are pleased with the progress of construction and are confident it will be completed within the 24-month timeframe,” they added.
Calling on the public to ignore politically motivated misinformation, the unions reaffirmed their support for the governor’s pro-labour policies.
“Governor Diri has proven over the last five years that he is worker-friendly. We urge him to remain steadfast in his commitment to improving the welfare and working conditions of civil servants in Bayelsa,” the statement concluded.
