Niger govt approves N20,000 wage award for civil servants

Niger Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago has announced the approval of the release of the sum of N20,000 (twenty thousand naira) wage award for disbursement to all categories of civil servants in the state.

Similarly the the Governor also approved N2 billion (two billion naira)as scholarship allowances to students of tertiary institutions across the state.

The Governor stated this while addressing stakeholders at a town hall meeting on State of the State Affairs held at the Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre in Miinna the state capital on Thursday.

Governor  Mohammed Umaru Bago also directed for the release of N50,000(fifty thousand metric tonnes) of assorted grains from the state warehouse for sale to Nigerlites at  50percent (fifty percent) discount rate.

According to him, Civil Servants are allowed to purchase the grains at a subsidized rate of same 50 percent (fifty percent ) for subsequent payment in four months to ease their hardship.

Governor  Umaru Bago further explained that the assorted grains will be sold at designated selling centres in all the 2twenty five Local Government Areas, where beneficiaries must present their National Identification Number NIN or the Bank Verification Number BVN to access the products.

On the proposed Nationwide protest, the Governor however distanced Niger State Government from such protest which he said is not in tandem with the religion, culture, and tradition of people of the State and it is therefore considered null and void or dead on arrival.

Speaker Niger State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon.  Abdulmalik Sarkindaji said the people of the state will organise a special town hall meeting on the planned protest date to offer prayers for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago for peace, stability,  and development to reign.

The Etsu Nupe and Chairman Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar maintained that attitudinal change, prayers, and dialogue remain the best solution to the current problems but did not protest and reaffirmed their support to Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago- led administration.

Various speakers from Christian Association of Nigeria CAN, Niger State chapter,  Imams Forum, Inter-Tribal Association, Students Unions, Traders, the State’s Council of NLC, and TUC among others have registered their allegiance to Niger State Government, and promised not to partake in the planned protest in view of its negative consequences.