Kano State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has charged the state government to address the unremitted pension contributions by some organisations which has accumulated to over N75 billion as of May 2023. The union described it as alarming.
NLC state chairman, Comrade Kabiru Inuwa, made the call in his speech to commemorate the 2024 Workers’ Day at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano.
He said this poses a serious threat to the financial security of retirees leading to deductions of pension and nonpayment of full pension for years.
While commending the present administration for commencing full payment of pension, timely payment of salary and promotions among others, Comrade Inuwa demanded that all defaulting government institutions should commence payment of the back log to enable the settlement of both retirement and death benefit.
The NLC chairman also urged the state government to revisit the payment of wage award and make consistent payment to enable workers improve their standard of living and safeguard their welfare.
He added that, this year’s theme ‘People First’ revolves within the purview of social justice that entails the spirit of democratic values of “government of the people by the people for the people”.
Inuwa however admonished workers to make sure they give their all in order to make the society functional and stand united in their quest for better working conditions, fair wages, and social justice not only in Kano State but across Nigeria.
In his remarks, the Kano State governor, Abba Yusuf, who was represented by the deputy governor, Abdusalam Gwarzo, reassured the administration’s commitment to enhancing the welfare and working conditions of workers in the state.
He also announced that, government is planning a befitting housing scheme for workers to enable them to have affordable houses.
While appreciating the entire private and public sector workers for facilitating a successful conduct of the 2023 election that brought them to power, he appealed to them to render maximum support and cooperation to the government in order to achieve the desired objectives set by the government.
