NLC asks ex-gov AA Yari to refund ‘illegal pension, allowances’

Following the recent letter from the former governor of Zamfara state Abubakar Yari demanding for his pension benefits from the current administration, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has asked him to immediately refund to the coffers of the Zamfara State Government what it called the illegal pension and welfare benefits he had collected since leaving office

The President of the NLC, comrade Ayuba Wabba made the call in a statement, a copy of which was made available to newsmen.

Daily Trust recalls that the former governor, had claimed in a letter dated 17th October 2019 to Zamfara State government that his up keep allowances of “ten million (10,000,000) Naira monthly had been stopped.

The NLC leader berated Yari, noting that “Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar who is now occupying the office of the “former Governor of Zamfara State” seems to have forgotten how he scuttled the rights of Zamfara state workers who he adamantly refused to pay the last national minimum wage of N18,000.“

“Instead, he chose to trample on our laws and illegally paid workers N7500 minimum wage instead. Even the N7500 he insisted on paying was never regular. Mr. Abubabar left office owing workers and pensioners in arrears,” Wabba added.

Wabba explains that from very conservative estimates, the N10 million being demanded by former Governor Yari Abubakar can pay the salaries and pension of nearly five hundred and sixty workers based on the previous N18000 national minimum wage.

Bemoaned, Wabba added that “As a matter of fact, Mr. Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar’s attitude to governance and workers welfare so pauperized the people of Zamfara State that are once haven of peace in Nigeria which suddenly turned into an enclave of kidnap-for-ransom, armed robbery and sundry anti-social vices under his watch.”

“We also wish to use this medium to describe as unconstitutional, unlawful and illegal the penchant by State Governors in connivance with supine state houses of assembly to award to themselves humungous and dubious ‘pension’ and ‘retirement’ benefits. Nigeria’s Pension Act stipulates that a worker (not a political office holder) is only entitled to pension benefits after a minimum of ten years of work.”

The NLC also urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-graft agencies to thoroughly “investigate numerous petitions of financial impropriety levelled against the immediate past Governor of Zamfara State and diligently pursue the conviction of Mr. Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar for public interest and as a deterrence to others like him.”

“We also wish to use this medium to describe as unconstitutional, unlawful and illegal the penchant by State Governors in connivance with supine state houses of assembly to award to themselves humungous and dubious ‘pension’ and ‘retirement’ benefits. Nigeria’s Pension Act stipulates that a worker (not a political office holder) is only entitled to pension benefits after a minimum of ten years of work”

Labour, to this end commended the current members of the Zamfara State House Assembly for rescuing the people and workers of Zamfara state from the dead weight of one man whose past time is to live off the commonwealth.