Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has approved the reinstatement of 37 Unified Local Government Service workers who were allegedly wrongfully disengaged during the immediate past administration.
The reinstatement follows a review of complaints by the affected workers and recommendations that found their disengagement unjustified. The workers, some of whom have since retired or died, are to receive their appropriate entitlements.
Chairman of the Kaduna State Local Government Service Board, Prof. Aminu Suleiman, announced the development during the presentation of reinstatement letters to the affected workers in Kaduna.
Suleiman said the reinstatement followed recommendations by a committee constituted by the previous administration after the affected workers lodged complaints over their disengagement.
According to him, the committee established that the workers were unjustly disengaged and recommended their reinstatement, but the recommendation was not implemented.
He said the affected workers later petitioned the present administration, prompting the board to review their cases and forward its recommendations through the appropriate government channels.
Suleiman said Sani subsequently approved their immediate reinstatement after confirming that they had been wrongly disengaged.
He, however, said some of the 37 affected workers had died, while others had retired before the approval was granted. He said serving officers would resume at their respective local government councils with immediate effect.
The chairman added that the retirement benefits of those who had retired would be processed, while entitlements due to deceased workers would be paid to their families.
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Suleiman described the governor as compassionate and committed to justice, saying the approval demonstrated the administration’s responsiveness to genuine grievances.
He commended the Head of Service, Secretary to the State Government, Ministry for Local Government Affairs and other stakeholders for supporting the reinstatement process.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Kaduna State, Ayuba Suleiman, described the reinstatement as evidence of the governor’s labour-friendly disposition.
He said the labour movement had consistently assured workers that the administration remained committed to fairness and justice.
According to him, the Unified Local Government Service workforce declined from more than 16,000 workers in 2014 to slightly above 3,000 currently. He expressed concern that about 800 additional workers were expected to retire before the end of the year.
The labour leader urged the government to address manpower shortages and sustain reforms aimed at strengthening local government administration.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress in Kaduna, Abdullahi Dan Fulani, welcomed the reinstatement and urged the government to ensure the prompt payment of outstanding entitlements.
Speaking on behalf of the reinstated workers, Mrs Michal Anga thanked the governor for approving their return after years of pursuing the matter. Anga said the affected workers had rejected calls to seek legal action, choosing instead to follow due process.
She said their perseverance had eventually yielded positive results, describing the approval as a victory for justice and patience.
The workers also appreciated the Local Government Service Board and other government officials for facilitating the reinstatement process.
NAN
