The Niger State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Mua'zu Hamidu Jantabo, has assured local government workers of better days.
The commissioner, who was at Labour House to meet with the executives of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) on a familiarisation visit Thursday in Minna, said all pending issues on salaries, allowances, and promotions of local government workers will be resolved.
He said his visit was to reinforce the existing relationship and understanding that organised labour and the ministry have, emphasising his willingness to change the narrative and improve the working conditions of local government workers.
The commissioner said "We will implement the domestic allowance for local government workers, hopefully by next month, and we will continue to solve all pending issues bothering local government workers".
"On grade level 17, we shall open engagement with the local government service commission to see that this is implemented. We are determined to make a big impact, and I would like to personally count on your support ", he said.
Hamidu Jantabo said the present administration will suspend overdraft, which, according to him, was responsible for many problems local governments in the state were facing.
He said the governor has given marching orders that taking overdrafts by local government areas must be stopped, saying this was necessary to prevent insolvency and encourage local governments to look inward and generate the funds they need to carry out their activities.
The NLC Chairman, Comrade Abdulkareem Idrees Lafene, appreciated the commissioner's visit and assured his visitor that organised labour will support the new administration in achieving its lofty purpose.
He said that although there were pending issues pertaining to local government workers, he was confident that the commissioner was aware of the matter and would work towards addressing them.
He said the visit was a demonstration that the commissioner meant business by visiting them instead of the other way around. He said labour will partner with the ministry to help it achieve its mandate.
The commissioner, during the familiarisation tour, visited the Niger State Environmental Protection Agency (NISEPA) and the Local Government Audit.
He pledged to work towards addressing challenges facing agencies partnering with the ministry, revealing that his appointment as commissioner was to frontally confront some of the challenges with a view to addressing them.