N10bn loan: NLC urges Ganduje to pay outstanding gratuities

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Kano State chapter, has appealed to the state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, to prioritise payment of outstanding retirement benefits over the installation of CCTV in the state with the proposed N10 billion loan.

NLC described the loan, which was recently approved by the Kano State House of Assembly for security infrastructural development in Kano, as a “misplaced priority in the face of over N27 billion outstanding retirees’ benefits”.

In a statement jointly signed by NLC Kano Chairman, Comrade Kabiru Minjibir, and Acting Secretary, Hussaini Budah, on Friday, the union urged Governor Ganduje to secure another loan to settle retirees’ benefits.

The statement partly read: “We wish to appeal to His Excellency the Executive Governor to make a case to the State House of Assembly for their assent to secure another loan to settle the outstanding Gratuity and other retirees’ benefits in the best interest of justice and humanitarian consideration. In fact, what is good for the goose is also good for the gander.

“While the congress is not in any way against improving the security of lives and properties, or its citizens which is one of the sole responsibilities of the government, we are of the opinion that, in the face of over 27bn outstanding retirees benefits, such a step amounts to robbing Peter to pay Paul.

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“The congress acknowledge the giant strides by the Government in providing security to the citizens, we wish to argue that providing CCTV in the name of improving security is curative, while payment of gratuity and other retirees benefits is preventive, taking into consideration the multiplier effects.”

The union, while stressing that the outstanding gratuity is cumulative from previous administrations, urged the incumbent administration to do the right thing in order to make a difference in the spirit of its “change mantra”.

“We are hopeful and optimistic that His Excellency would consider this our ‘save our souls’ submission in view of the multiple advantages such a positive step by the Government will provide,” it added.

It would be recalled that the Kano State House of Assembly approved a loan request of N10 billion for Governor Ganduje-led administration to install CCTV in Kano to tackle security challenges bedevilling the state.

The Star