From Muawuya Bala Idris, Katsina
The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has urged civil servants to return to farming or acquire skills as dependable sources of livelihood. According to the union, the era of relying solely on monthly salaries is over due to the current economic situation.
The President of NULGE in Katsina State, Comrade Nasiru Maiadua, stated in an interview with journalists that the economic challenges have left civil servants with no choice but to seek alternative income sources. He explained that depending solely on salaries is no longer sustainable.
“The recent implementation of the new minimum wage by states has not adequately addressed the economic challenges facing civil servants,” he said. “The majority of our civil servants depend entirely on monthly salaries for their livelihood. We are deceiving ourselves. We must either return to farming or learn skills to overcome these challenges.”
On the recent implementation of the pension scheme in Katsina State, Comrade Maiadua assured civil servants that there is nothing to fear. He explained that the scheme was introduced to address delays in the payment of pensions and gratuities. He also emphasized that the Katsina State government has made adequate arrangements to ensure the scheme’s success and cater to the welfare of retired civil servants.
According to him, Katsina State will adopt the Jigawa model of the pension scheme, which he described as the best in Nigeria. He commended Governor Dikko Umar Radda for clearing the backlog of gratuities and ensuring the timely monthly payment of pensions to retired civil servants.