Niger gov restates commitment to workers’ welfare

Niger Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has restated commitment to the welfare of workers in the state, to make life comfortable for them.

The governor stated this at the Workers Day celebration held in Minna on Thursday.

He acknowledged the sacrifices of all categories of workers in the State and appreciated them for their perseverance and faith in his administration.

The governor specially thanked all the Teachers in the State for their efforts in impacting knowledge on younger generations.

He promised to continue to work with organised labour, to expedite action in the payment of gratuity to retired workers.

The Governor enjoined them to sustain their cooperation and understanding as the State Secretariat is undergoing reconstruction to ensure a conducive working environment for workers.

The Governor also announced that modalities are being put in place to provide cars and houses for civil servants at subsidised prices, which he said would make their lives more comfortable.

Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, Niger State Council, Comrade Idris Abdulkareem Lafene represented by the Trade Union Congress TUC State Chairman, Ibrahim Gana described workers as the backbone of any society.

He commended the efforts of Farmer Governor under whose leadership workers witnessed unprecedented strides in workers’ welfare such as the implementation of N80,000 Niger State minimum wage and payment of wage awards to State and Local Government workers, resumption of gratuity payments, distribution of food palliatives, and the settlement of the 2019 Annual Leave Grant for state workers.

Others are the refunds of a 10 per cent contributory pension scheme to exempted LGA workers, remarkable progress in clearing arrears of the 7.5percent CPS, lifting of the embargo on cadre changes and service transfers as well as the domestication of Grade Level 17 for LGA workers.

He said Organised Labour has unanimously agreed to confer the prestigious Workers Hero Award on the farmer Governor as a tribute to his historic achievements and a clarion call to other public office holders even as he urged that solutions should be proffered to some underlying challenges faced by civil servants in the State.

Senator representing Niger East Senatorial District, in the National Assembly, Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, who congratulated the Workers, called for more support to the farmer Governor while disclosing that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly are working towards relieving civil servants from paying more taxes.

Also, the Speaker, Niger State House Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkin Daji, who was represented by a Member representing Bosso, Abubakar Gomna, assured the assembly’s support for the civil servants in the state and commended the Governor for the recent recruitment of youths into the Niger State Civil Service.

The parade by all Unions under Organised labour and the presentation of the Hero Award were the highpoints of the celebration.

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