The Niger State House of Assembly has passed a motion urging Governor Muhammed Umaru Bago to consider reducing the number of working days for civil servants in response to the recent hike in petrol prices. Hon. Umar Nasiru, representing Paikoro Constituency, brought the motion to the Assembly, highlighting the hardships faced by workers due to the removal of fuel subsidies.
He proposed reducing the working days from five to three days, allowing civil servants to work from home for the remaining days. He referred to Section 17 subsection 2(c) of the 1999 Constitution, which emphasizes the need for humane government actions. Hon. Umar believes that implementing this measure would alleviate the difficulties faced by not only civil servants but also the entire state.
The lawmakers pointed out that other states, like Edo and Kwara, have already reduced their working days, making the case for Niger State to follow suit. They also expressed concerns about the sustainability of the N30,000 minimum wage for state workers and called on the government to implement measures to ease their current challenges, independent of Federal Government palliatives.
Additionally, the Assembly members urged the government to provide subsidized public transport for citizens to help mitigate the impact of the petrol price increase. Overall, they have confidence in Governor Umaru Bago’s leadership and hope that he will consider and act upon their recommendations to alleviate the difficulties faced by the people of Niger State.