From Agaju Madugba, Katsina
Apart from various housing schemes for civil servants in the area, Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari, on Saturday listed various other programmes designed for workers.
As part of measures to reduce accommodation problems of workers, Governor Masari said that government had entered into partnership with some private developers through public private partnership with a view to providing affordable houses to workers.
The governor spoke in a message he sent at a symposium as part of activities marking the 2021 May Day celebrations in Katsina.
According to him, ‘under the owner-occupier housing scheme, government has identified 503 of the state houses accommodating serving civil servants and those who retired and approved the sale of the houses to them at subsidised and affordable rates.
‘In addition, government is presently constructing low-cost houses for civil servants.
‘The government of Katsina State has sustained training and re-training of staff both long term and short term and as at April 2021, the total sum of N333,832,705.03 was expended for the training of 2,456 staff.
‘Even after resumption, following the lockdown last year N79,300,000.00 was disbursed to 825 beneficiaries as refurbishing loan, cumulatively, the sum of N450,630,000.00 has been disbursed as refurbishing loans to 4,979 workers from 2017 to date.
‘Government has remained committed in assisting workers and their families for both local and foreign medical treatments.
‘The total gratuity paid by the government from 2015 to date for both state and Local government retirees is N28,036,125,298.06.’