The Chairman of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in Anambra State, Mr. Jerry Nnubia, on Monday, has called the state governor, Willie Obiano to use part of the last tranche of Paris Club refund to settle the backlog of gratuities owed retired primary school teachers and local government workers in the state.

Nnubia who disclosed this during a press conference to mark “World Day for Decent Work (WDDW)” in Awka said that labour in Anambra had observed with dismay, the continued deduction from workers’ salaries for contributory pensions without remitting same since 2014 when the law was passed in the state.

He observed that there were no actionable plans by the State Government to ensure the success of the scheme.

While calling for the scrapping of the scheme, the NLC boss in the state demanded that part of the last Paris Club refund to the state and local government be used to settle the backlog of gratuities owed pensioners who retired from local government service commission, as well as, primary schools teachers.

His words: “We wish to use this platform to reiterate our earlier demand that the Contribution Pension Scheme in Anambra be scrapped forthwith and all deductions made so far from workers’ salaries should be refunded.

“The Nigerian Labour Congress in Anambra State is demanding a unified salary scale for state and local government services as two salary scale in one state was not acceptable to them.”

He also said that the salaries of workers in these categories should be made to be on par with those of their contemporaries in the health sector.

Nnubia, who said the theme for this year’s WDDW was “Change the Rules”, explained that the theme was aimed at highlighting the deeply entrenched injustice of the global economic system, shrinking democratic rights and deteriorating labour rights in many countries.

He, however, urged the Federal Government and all employers of labour in the country to ensure decent income and workplace security for workers including social protection for their families.

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