Musa Na Allah, Sokoto
The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Sokoto State Council, Comrade Abdullahi Aliyu, has called on Governor Ahmed Aliyu to extend the ongoing gratuity payments to include local government retirees in the state.
Comrade Aliyu made the appeal during the 2024 May Day celebration held in Sokoto. He expressed concern that while state government retirees have begun receiving their entitlements, local government retirees have continued to suffer in silence.
He lamented that the last time gratuities were paid to local government retirees was in 2016, adding that since then, no additional payments have been made.
“This situation has ruined the lives of many retirees and has also affected the educational pursuit of their children,” he stated during his address.
The NLC chairperson commended Governor Ahmed Aliyu for his administration’s commitment to settling the backlog of gratuities owed to state workers.
He noted that the governor’s initiative of allocating ₦500 million monthly to clear unpaid gratuities from 2016, and an additional ₦300 million monthly for current retirees (from 2023 to date), is both commendable and exemplary.
“We know you to be a kindhearted leader who always wants the best for his people. That is why we appeal to you to extend the same gesture to local government retirees,” Comrade Aliyu emphasized.
He added that although the union was initially reluctant to make the request, the increasing pressure from affected workers necessitated the appeal.
“We didn’t want to bother you with this request, as you have already done so much for workers without us even asking. But we are constantly approached by local government retirees seeking justice,” he said.
In his response, Governor Ahmed Aliyu assured the NLC and the people of Sokoto State that his administration would take the necessary steps to address the issue.
“Insha Allah, we will set up a committee to investigate the non-payment of gratuities to local government retirees in the state,” the governor pledged.
He stressed that the same mechanism used in verifying and clearing the backlog of state workers’ gratuities would be applied to ensure that only genuine retirees benefit.
Governor Aliyu called on the affected retirees to remain calm and patient while the government works on a sustainable solution to their plight.
He reiterated his commitment to fairness and justice in the treatment of all categories of workers and retirees in Sokoto State.
The governor also expressed his appreciation to the people of Sokoto for their unwavering support and continued prayers, urging them to maintain their trust in his administration.
