By Muhammad B. Muhammad
Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State will next week release N3b to the State Pension Board for payment of the backlog of pension and gratuity of retired civil servants in the state.
The Governor disclosed this while addressing the leaders of the Nigeria Labor Congress ÑLC in Adamawa who were at his office to congratulate him over his victory at the supreme court.
He said retired civil servants in the state have laboured for the development of the state hence the need for the government to ensure it has cleared the backlog of pension and gratuity.
“We work with with you for this victory together. I know. Since May last year I have taken it upon myself particularly with removal of fuel subsidy to reduce the suffering and provide paliative. Whatever suggestions you will bring within the confines of what we can afford, we will continue to give it a maximum priority and attention.
“We are waiting for the minimum wage to be announced. As usual I will comply. We have to do anything we can do to make you happy, because without you, all the good policies and programmes we are rolling out will be no where but to whom much is given much is expected. Let’s come to work early, let’s not be skipping days for work,” he said.
The Governor said the state government is aware of the gaps in the civil service and have plans for employment but that will be done after the announcement of the new minimum wage by the federal govrnment in April.
Governor Fintiri also appreciated the workers in the state for their support and assured them that the state government will continue to provide palliative to them to cushion hardship occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government.
The governor equally cautioned civil servants in the state to ensure punctuality at work, assuring that the state government will pay off consequential adjustment it owed civil servants this February.
Earlier, the State Chairman of the NLC, Comrade Emmanuel Fashe said the labor union leaders were at the governor’s office to join the rest of the people of Adamawa state at congratulating the governor over his victory at the supreme court.
Comrade Emmanuel Fashe described the state governor as the workers’s friendly leader and added that the labor union has been enjoying the relationship with the state government.
While appreciating the governor for the six months wage awarded to civil servants in the state, the labor leader urged him to do more on the welfare of civil servants in the state.
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