The Kaduna state government yesterday explained reason for the ongoing local government restructuring, saying the disengagement of 4,042 council workers is to take away redundancy, enhance effective delivery and as well strengthen the LG system to carry out developmental projects.
The commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Jafaru Sani told newsmen in Kaduna yesterday that 3,159 out of the 4,042 had been retired while the remaining 893 had their jobs terminated. He explained that the retired staff would be paid their November salary as well as three months salary in lieu of notice while their pension would be worked out by the pension administrators.
“Those whose appointments have been terminated will have one month salary in lieu of notice and because we are implementing the contributory pension scheme of which the 23 LGAs as at October this year have contributed over N2.3billion to the pension as the 13% contribution or pension to the staff, so we expect that the pension fund administrators will very shortly settle the gratuities and then the monthly pensions of these retired workers while those who are terminated will have the gratuities as prescribed in the public service rules,” he said.
At the moment, he said there were 6,732 staff retained at the LGAs. Prior to the restructuring, he said that the capacity of the 23 LGAs to effectively render services to their communities had been hampered by the over blotted work force.
He further mentioned that analysis of the situation revealed that most of the LGAs after receiving their monthly allocation from the federation account; could barely pay their staff salary. We have instances where the ministry with the approval of the governor has to augment the shortfalls that we normally experience. As it is now, six local governments are existing on what we can call ‘life support’ even the payment of staff salaries is not possible.”
