Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has approved the implementation of 65 years as retirement age for teachers and lecturers under the state’s higher institutions.
He announced this during an award night organised by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on Saturday in Kano to mark the 2021 May Day.
The governor also announced the approval of 40 years as the service retirement years for teachers and lecturers across the state’s tertiary institutions.
According to him, “the federal government has since approved this for teachers and lecturers working under the federal government, hence, teachers in Kano State are also not left behind.
“Therefore, our teachers and lecturers as from now, they will also start to enjoy such retirement age from 60-65, and years of service from 35-40 as the federal workers are enjoying.”
According to Ganduje, the state government has introduced so many policies aimed at improving the welfare of the workers in the state.
“We have introduced a contributory health scheme for the workers and their families to have the cheapest health services in the state. I am happy, with your corporation, today we have the best contributory health scheme in Nigeria.
“We are also collaborating with private organisations in the state to see how they can also benefit from such schemes aimed at strengthening the policy.
“The Kano government has also introduced a health trust fund where five percent of the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and one percent from the earning of Local Governments will be contributed, and that will provide health services to our workers and the people of Kano State.
“And also we have introduced free and compulsory primary to secondary schools education so that our workers will not have to pinch from their salaries to pay school fees for their children,” he said.
Ganduje added that “one important thing done in the state was ensuring peace and stability, security for workers, the citizens and everybody so that the state can be a place where everybody can sit and flourish in harmony.”
The governor also presented a letter of permanent and pensionable appointment to a young lady who lost her legs while serving as a temporary staff at Hotoro health care clinic for about 15 years.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman, Kano State chapter of the NLC, Mr Kabir Ado-Minjibir said the awardees were honoured for their hard work and adherence to the Civil Service rules and regulations.
According to him, the NLC found it necessary to honour not only Civil servants who were dedicated and committed to their work, but also workers and employees at the private sector.
“We are awarding those that deserve to be honoured with certificates of excellence by the NLC, while some of them will go home with cash from N50,000 to N100,000 each,” he said.
Ado-Minjibir lauded Ganduje’s administration for effective security management in the state with minimal cases of banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities.
He further commended Ganduje for efficient management of the first and second wave of COVID-19 in the state
