Monday, 28th June 2021: Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has disclosed that he has provided a comprehensive briefing to President Muhammadu Buhari on the rightsizing policy of the Kaduna State Government and the steps taken so far to implement it.

The governor said his administration would seek accountability for the Nigerian Labour Congress’ (NLC) actions in the state by setting up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the events of May 2021.

He explained that the government is hiring over 10,000 staff because rightsizing obliges the government to continuous recruitment of teachers, doctors, nurses and other qualified staff to provide vital services.

A statement issued by Special Adviser on Media and Communication to the Kaduna Government, Muyiwa Adekeye, on Sunday, quoted Governor El-Rufai as having assured President Buhari that “KDSG is determined not to allow a repeat of the pains, economic losses and the restraints of freedom that the NLC inflicted on the people of Kaduna State.”

Alluding to the NLC’s renewed threat of strike action, the statement accused the NLC of demonstrating a lack of belief in equality among its own members by describing the transfer of one Kaduna employee to a place where other civil servants are serving as victimisation.

Adekeye said the Kaduna government has jettisoned the MOU reached with labour in a meeting facilitated by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige.

He said the state’s representatives at the May 20 conciliation meeting had indicated clearly that whatever they signed required the approval of the Kaduna State Executive Council.

Adekeye said the Kaduna State Government “has since informed the federal Minister of Labour that the State Executive Council is unable to approve the MoU.”

“It is trite that an MoU is not a legally binding document. The content of the MoU shows that there is no congruence between the progressive aspirations of the Kaduna State Government and the misguided sense of entitlement of the NLC which does not even believe in equality amongst its own members.

“KDSG employees are serving with dedication in Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area, amidst all the challenges. Yet, the NLC describes the transfer of one KDSG employee to Birnin-Gwari LGA as victimisation, as if other staff who have been loyally serving in the same area are lesser humans or permanent victims. KDSG rejects this unfair denigration of the very people that the transferred employee claims to lead.”

The statement added that “it is improper to describe the routine application of public service rules and labour regulations by a government as victimisation” and asked the Federal Ministry of Labour to reconsider permitting such slurs in documents prepared under its auspices.

“Union membership or accession to a leadership position in a union does not grant immunity to an employee for his/her actions and conduct or exempt them from compliance with the laws that govern everyone else.

“There are procedures that need to be followed to make a strike action legal, and the kind of conduct permissible during legitimate strike action is also bound by law. Lawful strike action still subjects strikers to the no-work, no-pay rule. How then can unlawful strike action be expected to be without consequences, as spelt out in the relevant laws and regulations?”

The statement said that the dominant theme in the KDSG statement at the conciliation meeting was the state government’s rejection of the criminal actions that defined the NLC’s actions. “It was notable that the NLC delegation was eager for the discourse not to dwell on their violations of laws prohibiting the disruption of essential services and their recourse to coercion and restraints to the freedom of citizens. But these are matters that cannot be ignored or swept under the carpet since unlawful actions that have come to be accepted as part and parcel of strike action remain unlawful.’’

The Special Adviser reiterated that “Kaduna State Government has not yet disengaged any state civil servant but has dispensed with the services of 99 political appointees so far.” Only the 23 local government councils and the agencies associated with the local government system such as SUBEB and the Primary Health Care Board have released staff.

Noting that “rightsizing is about getting the optimal number of persons with the requisite skills to staff the public service,” the statement added that as it is releasing lesser skilled staff, the KDSG is engaged in continuous recruitment of teachers, doctors, nurses and other health workers to provide vital services for citizens. “More than 10,000 such workers, including 7,600 secondary school teachers are being injected into the public service.”

The statement explained that its commitment to a fair assessment of the credentials of all officers shows in the painstaking approach to the rightsizing exercise for state civil servants. It said that it is only after the completion of the verification process that KDSG will “release any civil servant that is confirmed not to possess the minimum qualifications prescribed in 2017 as one of the outcomes of the state’s Public Service Revitalization and Renewal Programme.’’

The statement appealed “for the continued patience and understanding of all citizens as steps are being taken for the fair conclusion of this exercise.”

APC fixes date to begin sale of forms for congresses

Monday, 28th June 2021: The All Progressives Congress, (APC) says it plans to begin sales of forms for its congresses on July 1.

Prof. Al-Mustapha Medaner, APC Director of Organisation, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Medaner said the decision followed the approval of the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led APC Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee of the party.

He said purchase of forms for ward congresses would take place from July 1 to 7, while inauguration of ward and local government congresses, screening and screening appeals committee would hold on July 10.

Medaner announced the timetable and schedule of activities for the conduct of congresses across wards, local government areas and states for election of party officials.

He added that screening of aspirants for the ward positions would take place from July 12 to 16, while inauguration of ward and local government congresses and congresses appeals committee would hold on July 19 and ward congresses on July 24.

Medaner said appeals arising from ward congresses would be entertained from July 26 to 29.

“Purchase of forms for the local government positions will be from July 26 to July 30 and screening of aspirants for local government party positions will be from July 19 to July 26,” he said.

Medaner said appeals arising from local government congresses would be entertained from August 16 to 20.

He said the sale of forms for state executives positions would take place from August 23 to 27, while inauguration of screening, screening appeals committee for state executives would hold on August 30.

He added: “Screening of aspirants for state executives will be from September 6 to September 8 and appeals arising from screening for state executives will hold from September 12 to September 15.

“State congresses will hold on September 18 and appeals arising from state congresses will hold from September 19 to September 21.

“By this notice, aspirants will purchase forms as follows: ward chairman – N10,000; ward vice chairman, secretary and treasurer – N5,000, other offices – N2,000.

“Local government chairman – N25,000, local government vice chairman, secretary and treasurer – N15,000; other offices – N10,000.”

Medaner said female and physically challenged aspirants would pay 50 per cent of the prescribed fees for each position.