Workers Day: Sanwo-Olu Hails Frontliners, Doubles Life Insurance For Health Workers

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Friday hailed frontline health and emergency workers, whom he described as heroes for their efforts at combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

The governor also announced that the State Government had procured additional life and health insurance for all frontline health workers to cater for the hazard they face in the ongoing battle against COVID-19.

The governor disclosed this at the State House in Marina, where the Lagos State Government and leaders of organised labour unions held a low-key event to commemorate the 2020 Workers’ Day.

He added that the additional life and health insurance brings it to two-level protection for the workers and is in addition to the approval of increment in the hazard allowance of frontline emergency workers.

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“We have put in place additional health and life insurance for all our frontline health workers in the state to ensure that they are adequately insured. This gives them insurance protection on two levels.

“As part of the ongoing efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Lagos, we approved a 400 per cent increment in the Hazard Allowance of Health Officers in the State for the month of April. We have also introduced a COVID-19 Allowance for all our frontline workers, which is a very generous amount that takes cognizance of the heightened risks of the jobs they have to do. All these are intended to appreciate the dedication of all our Health Officers in the fight against COVID-19,” Sanwo-Olu said.

With effect from January, the governor added that his administration had increased the employers’ contribution to employees’ Retirement Savings Account (RSA) from 7.5 per cent to 10 per cent.

This, he said, complemented employees’ contribution of eight per cent, bringing it to a total of monthly contribution of 18 per cent.

Sanwo-Olu said his administration had also approved the monthly release of a pension bail-out fund to the tune of N1.083 billion.

He also described the labour force as “a critical stakeholder” in good governance and “engine-room” of the economic growth.

He dedicated this year’s Worker’s Day to celebrate frontline workers and added that his administration had continued to assist families of workers who die in the line of duty.

“It is only fitting that I dedicate this year’s commemoration of the Workers’ Day to celebrating the true heroes of this season, which are the health workers on the frontline of the battle against Covid-19. Since this virus started to ravage our communities and disrupt our lives, these heroes have not just been going to work daily, they have been going to war daily against this unseen enemy.

“Workers across public and private sectors, who are represented by various Labour Unions, are the engine-rooms of our economy, and the nucleus of wealth generation. My administration will always seek harmonious relationship with workers for the progress and prosperity of our State. The prompt approval and payment of the new minimum wage is a proof that we care about the welfare of our workforce,” he said.

He therefore reiterated his commitment to workers’ welfare, stressing that his administration had expanded the opportunity of training and capacity building for the Lagos workforce.