Niger State governor Abubakar Sani Bello has said the 21 lingering demands presented by the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) will be forwarded to the incoming administration submitting that it was impossible to meet all their demands.
The governor who had earlier in a message to mark the Workers Day said his government has employed 2,650 workers into the service including teachers and medical personnel in the last eight years, and posited that he has done his best for the workers under his watch.
Sani Bello, who was represented by the head of service, Salamatu Abubakar told the workers at the 123 Parade Ground in Minna, the state capital, that “ all the issues raised as lingering demands will be forwarded to the incoming administration,” while insisting that his administration had maintained very cordial working relationship with the NLC.
He added that the leadership of the organised labour was able to achieve so much with the support of the administration over the years, as testified by the state chairman of NLC, Comrade Idrees Lafene.
According to the governor, “as enumerated by the state chairman of NLC, we may have achieved a lot while more needs to be done. In eight years, we have motivated and emphasized professionalism. I therefore commend the NLC for its show of dedication.”
Meanwhile, the governor in a message signed by the chief press secretary, Mary Noel Berje said the state government had employed 250 graduates into the state civil service, 400 health workers and that it has completed the employment of over 2,000 primary school teachers and is concluding the employment of more workers into the state civil service.
The state chairman of NLC, Comrade Idrees Abdulkareem Lafene had earlier appealed to the governor to immediately address the lingering demands of workers as parting gift to Niger State civil servants, among which are end to insecurity, sustainable policy on settling backlog of gratuities, reverting the Niger State Joint Account Principal Law as amended 2001 and other extant laws in the administration of local government funds.
