ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Governors from the Northwest Zone were on Thursday absent at the Coronation Hall, Government House, Kano, during the ongoing public hearing on the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage.
Punch reports that none of the governors attended the programme, as only the Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, sent a representation, while the host governor, Abba Yusuf, was represented by his deputy, Abdulssalam Gwarzo.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Gwarzo commended President Bola Tinubu for setting up the committee to come up with a new minimum wage for the workers in the country.
Gwarzo also assured that the state will commit itself to the implementation of the new minimum wage when it becomes effective.
He restated the commitment of the Federal Government of Nigeria to the welfare of state civil servants through the prompt payment of salaries.
The Kano deputy governor said pensioners in the state now have renewed hope as the state government recently paid N6bn to the pensioners as part of measures to alleviate their sufferings.
He further expressed hope that the public hearing would come up with useful inputs that the government could implement for the betterment of Nigerian workers.
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In his remarks, the Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, represented by the Commissioner of Information, Dr Bala Zango, said the state government will abide by the outcome of the meeting.
“Whatever the outcome, the Katsina State Government will abide by it as the government is committed to the welfare of its workers,” he said.
He said that the state government had recently paid N5bn as death benefits to workers in addition to disbursing N700m as refurbishing loans to the state workers.
“Katsina State Government has a good working relationship with the workers as we have been paying salaries and other allowances as and when due,” Zango said.
He further commended the president for constituting the committees despite the current economic situation in the country, saying it was a clear indication that he was concerned about the welfare of workers.
Speaking also, the chairman of the Northwest Public Hearing, Dr Ahmed Rabiu, urged all participants to express their views openly, share their experiences, and provide constructive suggestions.
“Your input is valuable in shaping policies that will not only impact the livelihoods of our citizens but also contribute to the overall economic growth and social well-being of our nation,” he said.