The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Idris Ndako

  • NLC, TUC, pensioners endorse Bello for second term

    The Organised Unions and Pensioners in Niger state have endorsed Governor Abubakar Bello for second term.

    They said they were backing the reelection of Bello because he has been a labor- friendly governor.

    Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Idris Ndako made this endorsement at the Labour House in Minna during an interactive session between the Governor, Organised Labour and pensioners in the state.

    The Labour Leader said that the support was borne out of the  pro-labour policies, programmes and cordial industrial relationship with the administration of since 2015.

    He said: “The National President of the Congress has directed states councils to ensure that all governors who are labour- friendly and are seeking reelection should be supported.

    Read Also: ACF, NLC urge Atiku to concede defeat

    “We are here today to inform you of our total support for your aspiration and election comes Saturday. The entire organised labour is solidly behind you.”

    Comrade Ndako noted that the policies and programmes of Governor Sani-Bello since 2015 have been labour friendly.

    Bello assured the state workforce of his administration’s plans to provide better system workers to ensure effective and efficient service delivery despite financial challenges faced by the state.

    He said he will continue to ensure prompt payment of salaries, pension and other benefits as at when due while assuring local government workers and teachers in the state of increment in salaries.

    The governor stated his commitment to taking the state to the next level while directing a work -free day for the state civil servants on Friday to enable them prepare ahead of the Governorship and House Assembly elections.

  • NLC seeks prosecution of parents, guardians of street children

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Niger state on Saturday called on the state government to prosecute parents and guardians of street children for child abuse offences.

    Its Chairman, Mr Idris Ndako, made the call in an interview with our reporter in Minna.

    Ndako said that such step if taken, would serve as deterrent to parents and guardians who abuse children in any form.

    The NLC chair called for a law that would be binding on all defaulters, noting that a lot of children had lost their destinies due to street begging.

    “We continue to say that youths are the leaders of tomorrow, but that is only true if they are given the basic training as children.

    “These children are seen begging for food on a daily basis; their identity is plastic plates with rope tied around their necks.

    Read Also: 2019: no minimum wage, no elections, NLC declares

    “They are usually in worn-out, filthy clothes.

    “Niger state government should promulgate a law against the trafficking of male children from the neighbouring states in the name of acquiring Islamic knowledge, only for them to end up as child beggars.

    “It is a fact that every child has the right to learn in any part the country and the world at large, but it has to be the responsibility of parents or funding organisations if on scholarship.

    “Underage children cannot be patrolling our streets begging for money and food, when they are supposed to be learning in a formal school system and government just looks away,” he said.

    According to Ndako, an average Islamic teacher does not have food to give to the teeming pupils under his tutelage and is, therefore, left with no choice than to allow them go begging for their daily up-keep.

    “This is child labour and government should do the needful on this matter to save the children and the society,” he stated.

    NAN

  • Staff verification saves Niger N216bn

    Staff verification saves Niger N216bn

    The Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ), Niger State Chapter, on Wednesday said that the verification exercise for civil servants had saved the state government about N216 billion.

    Alhaji Idris Ndako, the state NLC Chairman, disclosed this at the presentation of the report of the verification exercise to Gov. Abubakar Bello in Minna.

    The state government had on July 15 embarked on staff verification to determine the number of civil servants in its employment.

    Ndako said that irregularities such as salary padding, double salary, over payment and undue allowances were discovered during the verification exercise.

    He said that the culprits were made to refund such monies to the central account of the state Ministry of Finance and receipts were issued.

    According to him, accounts belonging to dead persons, retirees, absconders and workers that did not come for verification remained active on the salary platform until they were suspended.

    The NLC chairman said that the verification exercise succeeded in strengthening the employment records and bio data of the state workforce.

    “To a large extent, the exercise has sanitised and blocked potentials for leakages in the system. These components were hitherto porous, a situation that gave room for fraudulent practices.

    “With the above in place and consolidated, the system is made self-checking and any attempt of fraud will be easily identified and tracked,” he said.

    Responding, Bello called for continuous working relationship between the organised labour and government to improve the welfare of civil service in the state.

    He said that a study of the new system would be carried out with a view to better the standard of living of civil servants in the state.

    He appealed to workers at the state and local government levels and organised labour to work for the progress and development of the state in order to bequeath a workable legacy for generations yet unborn.
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    “We should wish for the progress and development of Niger State. We will all want to see a better Niger State tomorrow and to leave a system that is workable for the future generations.

    “I want to believe that no one of you here wants to leave problems for the future generations. We should be able to lay a platform so that when they come they will have better quality life.

    “I pray that in the future we will see a manageable workforce of about 29, 000 at the state level and 60,000 at the local government level.

    “By this, we will be able to pay our workers all their allowances and improve their standard of living so that we can get a quality civil service,” Bello said.

    He commended the NLC leadership for partnering with government in the conduct of the exercise.

    NAN

  • NLC seeks periodic review of workers’ salaries

    NLC seeks periodic review of workers’ salaries

    The Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ) in Niger on Wednesday called on the state government to review the salaries of its workers periodically in order to boost their moral and ensure productivity.

    Mr Idris Ndako, the state NLC Chairman, who made the call in Minna at a news briefing, expressed concern over the miserable pay package of workers in the state.

    He said the government should review workers’ salaries upward in view of high cost of living in the country.

    “If the civil servants are well motivated it will ensure good service delivery,’’ he said.

    Ndako described the civil service as the engine room that propels any government to success, stressing that “no government will succeed without the enormous contributions of its workforce.”

    The NLC chairman also decried the wide salary disparity between Permanent Secretaries, Directors, Deputy Directors and Assistant Directors and advised government to tackle the issue in the interest of equity.

    He however lauded the state government for providing social amenities for the people and also commended civil servants for supporting the organised labour.