By:Babagana Bukar Wakil, Maiduguri
Borno State Governor Professor Babagana Umara Zulum has assured continued Prioritisation of the welfare of civil servants in the state by ensuring that all backlogs of promotions, Leave Grants and other entitlements are cleared as and when due.
The governor stated this at the 2024 International Workers Day celebration, which was held at Ramat Square Maiduguri.
Governor. Babagana was represented by his Deputy Umar Usman Kadafur, noting that his administration has conducted a series of training and retraining workshops under the office of the head of the service, assuring workers in the state that this 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 ) in interest-free loans to interested workers in the state while extending his appreciation to the leadership of the NLC and TUC for their cooperation, and support and understanding.
Nigerian Labour Congress Chairman, Borno state council Comrade Yusuf Inuwa, said there is no gainsaying that the present administration in 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.
Stressing that another area of concern for organized labour is the issue 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 increases for civil servants of the federal government.
Comrade Babayo Hamma also appealed to workers to desist from publishing their salary alert on social media, which 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.
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 all 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-centred policies that could provide an 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)
The highlight of the occasion is the match pass parade by different unions, clubs and associations and drama presentations.
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