Organised Labour Demands Overhauling of Katsina LG Pension Board 

• Seeks payment of gratuities

Francis Sardauna in Katsina 

The Katsina State chapter of the Organised Labour has demanded the immediate overhauling of the Local Government Pension Board in the state for efficient and effective service delivery.

The state Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Muntari Abdul, who spoke on behalf of the organised labour during Workers’ Day celebration Monday, said the board needed to be overhauled urgently.

He said the overhauling of the board would pave the way for full participation of the composition of the board to ensure adherence to the laws that established it.

He said: “The Organised Labour perceives the urgent need for overhauling the local government pension board of the state with a view to ensuring full participation of the composition of the board, as well as to strictly adhere to the laws that established the board aimed at effective service delivery.”

He, however, called on the state government to clear the backlog of gratuity of retirees in both local government and state levels in order to mitigate the economic hardship faced by the senior citizens.

He said although the government had tried in payment of the gratuity by committing a huge financial commitment, local government and state workers who retired in 2019 to date were yet to receive their entitlements.

Abdul said: “Consequently upon this, the organised labour is drawing the attention of the incoming administration to consider the situation of the retired workers and expedite the process for the payment.”

While noting that insecurity was another challenge workers are facing in the state, Abdul said: “Except politicians that are heavily guarded, no one is safe anymore whether you are at home or workplace, market, worship places or even working on the streets.”

He added that several attacks and kidnapping orchestrated by terrorists in the North-west region of the country have continued to render women and children widows, orphans and homeless.

He therefore urged the incoming administration to take the issue of insecurity with all the seriousness it required “as widely manifested in their campaign to end the menace”.