Replace Retired Katsina Workers, NLC Begs Gov Radda

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Katsina State has appealed to Governor Umaru Radda to recruit workers to fill the vacancies created by the retired personnel.

The union in a joint address with the Trade Union Congress (TUC), read by the state NLC chairman, Comrade Hussain Yanduna, made the plea yesterday at the May Day celebration held at  Dikko Stadium.

He said, ” Manpower gap; now and then workers are retiring, there was a vacuum created and it was in the interest of services to look at all means of avoiding collapses of the system. This can only be achieved by employing capable youth to fill in the vacuum.”

Yanduna, also called for the implementation of pension benefits for health personnel in the Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA) in line with the provision of the existing CONHESS circular, urging the government to take measures to ensure the speedy completion of the power plant in the state to solve the lingering challenge of electricity.

Lamenting on the economic hardship in the country, the chairman said “Life has become miserable, salary is insufficient for workers to accommodate their family needs, the movement has become difficult from home to workplaces, people are suffering and dying the prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) is no longer reliable, a litre of petrol is now sold at N950 to N1,000 in most of our filling stations, thereby making life more challenging for Nigerians.

“The most disheartening here in our state is that the fuel stations are locked deliberately to worsen the situation, therefore, the state task force on petroleum products should monitor this sad development to bring an end to this sabotage by the independent marketers.”

He commended the state government for the support during the hard times and good working relationship, and urged the government to also re-introduce the defunct cooperative consumer shops in the state to address the current high cost of food items which was also the result of the removal of fuel subsidy.

Governor Radda joined the labour to celebrate International Workers’ Day, expressing excitement that the public sector reform of his administration is yielding positive results.

He said his government would implement policies and programmes to enhance public service and the welfare of workers in the state.

He maintained that despite the hardships and limited resources, the government has sustained the prompt payment of salary as at when due, addressing the security challenges, payment of pension and allowance.

Responding to the workers’ demand, the governor said approval had been given for the recruitment of staff into the state civil service to replace those who left the service.