NLC Boils Over Flamboyant Award Show In Borno, Seeks Probe Of Funding
NLC Boils Over Flamboyant Award Show In Borno, Seeks Probe Of Funding
By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri
Borno State wing of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has given the Zulum administration two weeks ultimatum to sack the Head of state’s Biometric Unit, Adamu Bako, or brace for a strangulating industrial action.
The organised labour also wants Governor Babagana Zulum to immediately constitute a probe panel to look into a recent Award to some personalities and sources of funding for such a lavish show.
Chairman of NLC in the state, Bulama Abiso, at a news briefing in Maiduguri, the state capital, disclosed that Zulum should sack Bako, as well as probe sources of funding the awards.
‘’The organised labour is demanding for an investigation into sources of funds expended to hold award ceremony. We also demand the immediate removal of head of biometric unit, Adamu Bako with immediate effect’’, the NLC chief said.
Continuing, he said there are evidence to show that many workers across the state, are yet to be captured or captured, and yet not paid their salaries and retirement benefits.
While lamenting nonpayment of workers’ promotion benefits, annual increments and leave grants, he said, ‘’the non-payments of these workers’ benefits, leave and transport grants, as well as annual increments, are for 2017, 2019 and 2020.’’
While also claiming that these are outstanding labour issues bordering the ongoing biometric exercise of civil servants working and retired, he notes that due to this ugly development, workers remain hopeless and unattended to since the commencement of biometric exercise in 2014.
According to him, it is therefore; surprising a unit responsible for all these hardships and suffering of workers will giving awards to some individuals. This is in total disregard to “plights and insensitivity” of serving and retired workers.
NLC is therefore, questioning the rationale behind the awards. At a colourful ceremony last week; awards were to Governor Zulum, and the former governor of the state, Senator Kashim Shetima,
Others include, Secretary to the State Government, Usman Jidda Shuwa and the Head of Service (HoS), Simon Malgwi, Commissioners of Finance, Works, Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RRR), Adamu Lawan, Yerima Saleh and Mustapha Gubio.
Other awardees of Bako Biometric unit are, Yakubu Bukar, Mohammed Hassan and Dr. Bulama Mali Gubio, former HoS’s and Umar Ka’ana , the current Accountant General of the state.
Besides labour’s demand for probe and sack of Bako, it is also condemning the funding of the recently held awards. Adamu Lawan, Commissioner works, Arch. Yerima Sale, Commissioner for RRR, Engr Mustapha Gubio, as well as Barrister Yakubu Bukar, Alh. Mohammed Hassan and Dr Bulama
Mali Gubio all former heads of service and Alhaji Umar Ka’ana, Accountant General of Borno state and some selected Of the unit. The organised Labour has condemned in it’s totally the award and demanded for the probe of public fund use in finding the ceremony and removal of the head of unit.
He said since beginning of biometric exercise, 89 workers are yet to be captured, including 150 pensioners and a number of captured workers, but not paid.
He added that Bako claimed that over N500 million has been saved, despite outstanding issues of workers benefits, promotional increments, leave and transports grants.
While responding to his sack yesterday, Bako said: “I will not comment until I receive authorization from the HoS to speak.”
NLC Boils Over Flamboyant Award Show In Borno, Seeks Probe Of Funding
