Gov. Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom says with the introduction of free education in both primary and secondary schools, the government is meeting the needs of the people.
Akpabio was reacting to allegations by the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), accusing the government of propagating anti-people policies.
The governor, represented by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr Aniekan Umanah, at an award night organised by the state NUJ Council, said his policies were far from being anti-people.
He explained that with the introduction of free and compulsory education in both primary and post-primary schools, more children would now have the opportunity to go to school.
Akpabio said his administration had also introduced free medical care for pregnant women, children below five and the aged.
“Labour has the right to ask for improved welfare for its members; the state government has already agreed to review upward the N18,000 minimum wage salary tables.''
The governor said his administration had decided to concentrate on infrastructure development in the past four years in its transformation agenda.
But the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had in a joint? communiqué issued in Uyo described the government as anti-people and non-challant to workers' welfare.
The communiqué, signed by the state NLC Chairman, Mr Unyime Usoro and his TUC counterpart, Mr Ifreke Akpan, alleged that the state's 2012 budget proposal was a demonstration of government's insensitivity to the plight of workers.
The unions further alleged that in spite of the state being one of the highest revenue earners in the country, majority of the people were living in abject poverty.
They called on the state government to address all issues bordering on consolidated salaries of public servants in the judiciary and health sectors before Dec. 31.
Workers have been mobilised not to resume work after the Christmas and New Year holidays, if the agreement reached with the government on welfare is not signed by Dec. 31.