From Timothy Olanrewaju Maiduguri
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) Borno State chapter has kicked against the award given to the state goveneor, Babagana Zulum, his predecessor, Kashim Shettima and some senior government officials by the state biometric unit.
NLC state Chairman, Bulama Abiso at a press conference on Saturday said the award by the biometric office, a government unit to some individuals demonstrated the insensitivity of the head of the biometric office to the plights of workers who have been put under intensed suffering due to the prolonged.
“Evidence on ground shows that a lot of workers across the state are yet to be captured or were captured but not paid; deceased benefits not paid, non implementation of promotion benefits and annual increment of leave transport grant for 2018, 2019 and 2020 among other issues bordering on biometric exercise,” Abiso said in the briefing after the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting of the NLC.
He said workers in the state have remained hopeless and unattended to due to the biometric exercise started about five years ago. He said the decision of the unit head to ditch out award shows lack of understanding.
“It is therefore surprising that a unit responsible for all these problems and suffering of workers would then proceed to give awards to individuals in total disregard to the plights and sensitivity of workers,” he stated.
He said 89 workers in the state have not been captured by the biometric unit and as such denied salaries. He said same date befell 150 pensioners who could not access their pension due to the exercise. He said Gov Zulum has denied knowledge of the award.
The labour unions demanded for investigation into source of funds used in organising the award ceremony. It also called for the disclosure of the status of the head of the biometric unit in the Borno State Civil Service, Alhaji Bako Adamu and immediate removal of the head
The state biometric unit recently gave “Trend Setter” award to Gov Zulum, former Gov Shettima, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Head of Service, some commissioners, senior government officials and its staff. The award has continued to generate reactions in the state.
Head of the biometric unit, Alhaji Bako Adamu when contacted by journalists said he would not comment on the issue until the head of the service authorise him.