Subsidy Removal: Niger assembly urges reduction of working days for civil servants

The Niger State House of Assembly has urged the State government to reduce the number of working days for civil servants to cushion the effect of the removal of petrol subsidies.

The Assembly made the call in a resolution following a matter of urgent public importance raised by Mr. Nasir Umar, a member representing Paiko Constituency, during plenary on Wednesday in Minna.

The Speaker of the House, Mr. Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, while reading the resolution, called on the government to, as a matter of urgency, reduce the number of working days for civil servants.

He also urged the executive arm to put in place necessary measures that would cushion the hardship experienced by residents of the state as a result of the removal of fuel subsidies.

Earlier, Umar explained that the removal of fuel subsidies had brought untold hardship on residents, especially civil servants.

The lawmaker urged the state government to emulate some states that had come up with measures to alleviate people's suffering.

Umar also moved a motion calling on the house to direct the state Ministry for Education and the state Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB) to take measures to avert the collapse of UK Bello Memorial Primary School in Paiko.

He said that the one-story primary school, which comprised eight classrooms, was poorly constructed and was on the verge of collapse.

Umar noted that if nothing was done to avert the impending disaster, the lives of about 2,300 pupils and 84 teachers were at stake.

He stated that the head teacher of the school had raised several complaints to NSUBEB through the education secretary over the deplorable condition of the building, but to no avail.

He, however, urged the house to direct the concerned authorities to act with immediate effect in order to avert the collapse of the building.