Against the backdrop of subsidy removal which created economic problems for many citizens – young and old and increased Monthly FAAC Allocation to State Governments beginning from this month, an Human Resources’ Expert Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi has called on the Kwara Stste Governor Mal. Abdul-Rahman Abdul-Razaq to ‘write his name in gold’ by effecting a significantly impactful palliatives for Kwarans to reduce their economic burden.
In a Press Statement released in Ilorin – the Kwara State Capital today, the HR Expert who is a Fellow of Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) enumerated many areas that he believes could improve the living conditions of the people of the State.
These he said include payment of outstanding salaries and allowances owed State and of Local Government workers as well as other State Government Agencies in Kwara State (if any)
Others include setting-up of a Committee urgently comprising of Experts in remuneration packages to determine fresh minimum wage for Kwara State Public Servants as done in Borno, Lagos and Edo States to mention just a few.
The HR Consultant who retired voluntarily 15 years ago from the Kwara State Public Service as a Director said, the Committee would evolve a New Salary Table that would give all public servants on the State Payroll from Grade Level 01 to Grade Level 17 an sppreciable increase as a relief as a result of the current ehonomic hardship occasioned by increase in fuel pump price.
On Pensioners in Kwara State, Alh. Abdullahi stated that both State and LGs Staff got their monthly pensions reviewed last in 2012, pointing-out that by the existing Pension Law, it ought be reviewed every 5 years. Thus, he said in 2017 it was due but the review was not done; and another one was due in 2022 and was not done!
He therefore called for 100% increase for all State and Local Government Pensioners and clearance of their areas of unpaid gratuities periodically and completed within the next 12 months.
On the sick people in Kwara State he said, many people who are suffering from serious but curable medical conditions whose matters have been referred to the Governor could be attended to by the State Government giving financial reliefs to treat their ailment fully here or in diaspora.
As Chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum Alhaji Abdullahi said, Governor Abdul-Rahman should lead while other Governors follow in taking proper care of the vulnerables.
The Personnel Management Expert said the aspect he has enumerated for the Governor to dwell on for Kwarans bothers of welfare and palliatives adding that there is no way for the state economy not to boom in Kwara State if these steps are taken; adding that most people in the State benefits one way or the other when workers and pensioners are treated well.
He urged the State Government to discourage any form of increase in school fees in all Institutions owned by the Kwara State Government and pursue a serious agricultural revolution that would help Kwarans to feed themselves effortlessly.