By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum has assured that his government would continue to prioritize of the welfare of civil servants in the state by ensuring that all backlog of promotions, grants and other entitlements are cleared.
The governor stated this at the 2024 International Workers Day celebration, which was held on Wednesday at Ramat Square, Maiduguri.
Ably represented by the Deputy Governor, H.E Umar Usman kadafur, the Governor noted that his administration has conducted series of training and retraining workshops under the office of the head of service, assuring workers in the state that these training will continue for effective service delivery.
In the same vein, Professor Zulum recalled how his administration has provided two billion naira ( #2.0000,000,000.00 ) interest free loan to interested workers in the state, while extending his appreciation to the leadership of the NLC and TUC for their cooperation, support and understanding.
“I urge all workers both within the private and public sectors to remain steadfast, law abiding and dedicated as every effort will continue to be made by government to reduce to the bearest minimum, all the pending demands by the Workforce in the state as well as those who have retired from active service will be considered” he concluded.
Nigerian Labour Congress Chairman, Borno State Council, Comrade Yusuf Inuwa, said there is no gainsaying that the present administration at the state is trying very hard to make life better for workers at the local government, however, he appealed for the consideration of implementing minimum wage to local Government employees, this he believes will further increase their productivity in service delivery.
He adds that “Your Excellency, another area of concerned for the organized labour, is the issues of promotion benefits to the local government staff, we sincerely wish to appeal for considering the implementation of promotion benefits to the local Government employees. Also of great concern is the payment of outstanding Leave Transport Grant from 2015-2020”.
In his remarks, the TUC Chairman, Comrade Babayo Hamma, implored the state government to also follow suit and implement the recent approval of 25% and 35% salary increase for civil servants of the federal government.
Comrade Hamma also appealed to workers to desist from publishing their salary alert on social media, this he said, is jeopardising the efforts of Organised Labour in the negotiations of their demands with the state government.
Borno State Head of Service, Barr. Mallam Fannami commended the NLC in the state for maintaining industrial harmony with the state government, adding that the state government under his office will map out plans to ensure that all categories of civil servants in the state could have the chance to benefit from training and retraining.
The Head of Service equally commended the state workers for their hard work, loyalty and dedication to duty and assures of present administration’s determination to continue to reposition the state civil service for optimal performance.
In their separate remarks, the guest speaker at the event Professor Ibrahim Umara, the representative of the Vice Chancellor University of Maiduguri , Professor Aliyu Shugaba dwelled on the need for government at all levels to lay emphasis on human development, security of lives and properties as well as creating opportunities through people-centered policies that could provide enabling environment for the people to be self reliant instead of depending heavily on government.
They also advised governments at all levels to devise workable mechanisms in addressing the country’s foreign exchange crisis as it adversely affects the purchasing power of the people (especially the civil servants).
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