News Agency of Nigeria
NLC lauds Sani over recall of sacked teachers
General News

NLC lauds Sani over recall of sacked teachers

By Ebere Agozie

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kaduna chapter, has commended the State governor, Sen. Uba Sani, for recalling some of the teachers dismissed by the immediate past administration in the state.

 

The State NLC chairman, Mr Ayuba Suleiman, gave the commendation while addressing members of the Nigerian Guild of Investigative Journalists (NGIJ), who are currently in the state on a Governance Assessment visit.

 

It would be recalled that Kaduna former governor, Nasir el-Rufai, had sacked more than 23,000 teachers, including the then National President of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), between 2018 and 2021.

 

Suleiman disclosed that the present administration had so far reinstated head teachers, administrative staff and science teachers affected by the mass sack, noting that the process of correcting the errors of the past government was ongoing.

 

On the issue of new minimum wage, the labour leader revealed that the governor had approved the payment of N72,000 minimum wage for workers on grade levels 1–7, saying that it has already taken effect.

 

“We appreciate His Excellency for his prompt action on the new minimum wage.

 

“Discussions are ongoing on the consequential adjustments for senior staff and the state government will require more than N1.2 billion monthly to fully implement the new wage structure.”

 

He further lauded the governor for deploying 20 buses to provide free transportation to workers and students as a measure to cushion the impact of fuel subsidy removal.

 

The NGIJ members are engaging stakeholders through administering questionnaires across the 23 local government areas of Kaduna State as part of their ongoing Governance Assessment among other strategies.(NAN(www.nannews)

Edited by Francis Onyeukwu

Akpabio, Shehu Sani charge civil society on values
General News

Akpabio, Shehu Sani charge civil society on values

By Daniel Obaje

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has urged civil society organisations (CSOs) to remain steadfast in defending democratic values and promoting national development.

 

Akpabio made the call at the 1st Civil Society Summit on Civil Democracy and National Development in Abuja, with the theme: “Civil Society, Democracy and Governance Reforms: Building Sustainable Partnerships for National Development.

 

The senate president, represented by Sen. Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, said civil society has shown courage and consistency in defending order and the rule of law.

 

He said CSOs must continue to stand with reason and institutional honour, especially at a time when democracy is constantly tested.

 

“Democracy is not merely the counting of votes, it is the conservation of virtue. A development divorced from democracy is tyranny and a democracy without development is but a whisper in the wind.

 

“In the confrontation between the rule of law and the rule of ego, and between parliamentary order and populist spectacle, you have always stood on the side of truth.

 

“Let history record that when Nigeria trembled in the balance, men and women of conscience did not fall silent, you showed up, not in bitterness, but in responsibility.”

 

Also speaking, Sen. Shehu Sani, human rights activist, urged civil society to remain strategic and professional under a democratic system.

 

Sani called on CSOs to shift from being seen as opposition to being active and knowledgeable partners in the governance process.

 

“You are not here to fight the government, but to engage it. That means you must know the facts, the policies and the decisions coming out of the ministries.

 

“Those in government today, whether their elections were clean or not, are recognised globally as leaders. That changes your approach as civil society actors.

 

He urged civil society organisations to move beyond surface-level activism and engage with facts and institutional realities, adding that meaningful advocacy requires research, patience and a deep understanding of public policy

 

“Whether your focus is health, education, infrastructure or security, you have to understand the inner workings of government so your advocacy is credible and effective.”

 

In his remarks, Mr Sunday Dare, former Minister of Youth and Sports and Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, said civil society must rise above agitation and focus on constructive engagement.

 

He said that with civil democracy comes greater expectations for civil society to educate, inform and build trust between the state and citizens.

 

“Too many good policies fail because citizens don’t understand them. That is where civil society comes in to bridge that gap.

 

“The civil society must ask itself, Are we helping to build trust and engagement or are we tearing down the very bridges needed to unite the country?

 

“You are not just watchdogs, you are translators of government policy to the people. That is an enormous responsibility that you have to carry.”

 

Also speaking, Mr Kenneth Okonkwo, a legal practitioner, urged civil society to remain united and move from passive consultation to active collaboration.

 

He called for deeper partnerships between civic groups and institutions of governance to deliver true reforms.

 

“The greatest strength of civil society is in their unity. If you allow them to divide you, they will defeat your purpose.

 

“We must go beyond reactive advocacy to strategic partnerships, if we want a democratic future, we must align democratic values with inclusive governance.

 

“This is the time to build a nation where justice, equity and unity are not just ideals, but lived realities.”

 

Blessing Akinlosotu, Executive Director of the National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN), said that the Council would continue to uphold its ideal, including patriotism, accountability, good governance advocacy and active citizen participation in national development

 

NAN reports that the summit served as a platform for cross-sector dialogue on democratic accountability, civic engagement and inclusive national development. (NAN)

DO/IS

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Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

Pensioners urge Kaduna govt to defray N20bn pension liabilities
General News

Pensioners urge Kaduna govt to defray N20bn pension liabilities

By Hussaina Yakubu

The National Union of Pensioners (NUP), has urged Gov. Uba Sani of Kaduna State, to pay the N20 billion outstanding pension liabilities owed its members

The State Secretary of the union, Alhassan Balarabe-Musa, said this on Thursday in Kaduna while commenting to the 2025 International Workers’ Day.

He said the Sani administration inherited over N30 billion pension liabilities at its inauguration on May 29,2023.

“The governor has paid over N3.6 billion in 2023. In all, he has paid over N10.4 billion to date.

“We are grateful that he has settled part of the inherited pension liabilities but more efforts should be made in this direction,” he said.

Balarabe-Musa, however, lamented those under the contributory pension scheme were yet to receive payment from 2017 to date.

The scribe said that workers disengaged in 2017, especially those in the service of the local government councils were yet to be paid as their records have been declared missing.

He, therefore, urged the governor to do the needful for this category of pitiable pensioners to get their entitlements, adding that, “this will greatly help in alleviating their sufferings as most of them and their dependents are now living from hand to mouth.”

Alhassan Balarabe-Musa, NUP Secretary, Kaduna State

Balarabe-Musa also advocated for the implementation of the N32,000 pension increase approved by the Federal Government.

“So, if the increase is implemented, pensioners in the state will receive a minimum of N62,000 monthly pension.

“I want the governor to be the second one to implement it as only Yobe is the only state that has so far done so across Nigeria.

“He should emulate his predecessor who was the first governor to implement the N30,000 minimum pension in February 2020.”

The NUP scribe further urged the governor to provide a bus and a plot of land for it to build a befitting State Secretariat

He decried, ” The union had 15 houses at the Marafa Estate in Kaduna city, which were sold at the tale end of the Nasir El-Rufai administration.

“The exercise violated all extant due process regulations as the houses were sold at a paltry sum of N200million, with even no records to where the money went.

“We, therefore, want the governor to probe these sales, revoke it and retrieve these houses for NUP,” he said, adding that the state government provided vehicles to all the trade unions except the NUP. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

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