By Chijioke Kingsley
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – The organised labour in Niger State has given the government 24 hours to commence the refund of monies deducted from civil servants for Contributory Health Care Scheme or face industrial action that would ground the state indefinitely.
The state chairman of the union, Comrade Idris Lafene, gave the ultimatum during a low-key celebration of the 2024 International Workers Day in Minna.
The event held at Justice Legbo Kutigi International Centre instead of the usual 123 Quarters parade ground.
The Contributory Health Care Scheme was introduced by the immediate past governor of the state, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, where two percent of civil servants salary was being deducted.
According to Lafeni: “We woke up today with reports from some of our members that NICARE has started deducting their money. This was not the agreement we had with the Niger State Government.
” We are calling on the state government to refund our monies as well as bring those that masterminded such illegal deductions to book or the programme will never see the light of the day. ”
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago who was represented by the Head Of Service Abubakar Salihu in his remarks told the NLC members that the state government will take appropriate action on the issue.
Salihu then gave the organised labour the sum of N5 million to the 25 LGs in Niger State to ameliorate the difficulties in transportation occasioned by fuel scarcity.
Also speaking the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, assured the workers of the state government’s readiness to improve and enhance their welfare while announcing a donation of N2.5 million to support their transportation.
Furthermore, in a paper titled “People’s First,” the chairman of Trade Union Congress, TUC, in Niger State, Ibrahim Gana, explained that society makes progress if government accord priority to the wellbeing of its citizens in its policy and decision making.
