BY NDAHI MARAMA, MAIDUGURI
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Borno chapter has urged for quick end of the Biometric Capture Data of Workers on the payroll of the State Government under the leadership of Governor Kashim Shettima in the name of fishing out ghost workers in the last three years.

NLC TUC protest

This was disclosed by the NLC Chairman, Comrade Ali Abana during the celebration of Workers Day which took place at the Ramat Square in Maiduguri on Tuesday.

He said, despite good intention of government to use the Biometric Exercise to sanitize payrolls and block pilferages, the poor handling of the programme by the committee earlier set up has caused prolonged sufferings to
workers.

Abana stressed that the exercise is not unconnected to the problems associated with difficulties experienced in enrolment process, undue deductions, ommision, outstanding payments and vagaries of double capturing by the biometric exercise.

He however said, “It is against this background that, NLC is calling on Government to among other measures of easing the cumbersomeness of the exercise to decentralize the exercise to improve the efficiency of equipment and competence of the staff involved.

“It is pathetic that most workers had to flee from their homes and patched with their friends and relative for survival, some have become beggars and pitiful, as they cannot afford to stay with their families without salaries”. The Chairman lamented.

Abana also appealed to governor Shettima to use the huge amount of money released by the federal government through the ‘Paris Club’ and ‘Bailout’ funds to urgently implement annual increment and promotion benefits of 2016/2017 and it’s arrears, approve payment of 10% CONHES outstanding to members of National Association of Nigeria Nurses, Midwives and Medical Health Workers, and also settle outstanding payment of 142% pension arrears and gratuity to all retired pensioners, including Permanent Secretaries and Judicial staff in the state.

“It is disheartening to note that government has refused to settle the backlog of gratuity from the year 2013 to date, even the ritual N150 million being released monthly to settle retirees was stopped since 2015 which has multiplier effect on the retirees and their families”. Abana queried.

Addressing the Workers, Governor Shettima said, the Biometric exercise was not intended to witch-hunt anybody, but to sanitize the civil service system in the state.

Represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Usman Durkwa said, despite the security and economic challenges bedefilling the state, all workers and pensioners who successfully scalped through the verification exercise have been receiving their monthly salaries and allowances as and at when due.

He however pledged to continue support workers and meet their demands so as to sustain the already existing good working relationship between them and government in the state. End