The Leadership of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Abia State,has directed its members to boycott the reintroduction of Biometric exercise across the 17 Local Government Areas of the state, come Monday, December 14,2020.
The Abia President of NULGE,Comr Nwaigwe Ikechi Kennedy,who made the position of the Union known during a Two day Leadership Training organised for both State and Branch executive members of the Union, rejected the recent reintroduction of Biometric clocking,demanding that the system be suspended for now,while the numerous challenges that emanated from the system initially be corrected.
Comr kennedy said the Local Government workers are faced with alot of challenges already, ranging from the effect of the Covid 19 outbreak, that led to the shutting down of economic activities for several months,to Non payment of Salaries/ Allowances,EndSars protest which almost permeated into the Local Government system,Non payment of Consequential Adjustment as approved by the State Government,non payment of the new minimum wage to Local Government workers, among other challenges and reintroducing the biometric system amidst these challenges would amount to ill treatment.
The Union boss noted that already some of its members are being owned several months of salaries as a result of the erroneous report of the Biometric system.
He maintained that the Union is totally not against the Biometric clocking of attendance,neither is the union championing members not to come to work, but asked that the reintroduction of the system should begin from January 2021,while the Local Government Service Commission seek means to address the existing challenges of workers.
Comr Kennedy also revealed that the recent Covid 19 outbreak does not fully support such biometric exercise, except adequate safety measures are put in place to guide against the spread of the virus while workers use the machines.
He disclosed that the NULGE as a democratic union would be issuing letters to the Local Government Commission’s chairman and the various Heads of Service for the 17 LGAs to state the Union’s position on the Biometric system, urging all union members to act accordingly.
The NULGE further demanded that the new Minimum wage be inputed into the salaries of Local government employees, so that the staff can be on the same page with other civil servants in the state.
The Union boss, however,commended the State Governor,Dr Okezie Ikpeazu,for consistently paying workers’ salaries during the period of Lockdown, reiterating that the biometric exercise be put on hold till January 2021,while the commission seek ways to address the various issues confronting the workers.
The Isialangwa North Branch Chairman of NULGE, Comr Chris Nwachukwu, promised to manage the position of the union is his branch, as regards the rejection of Biometric system, saying that government should address first the challenges that emanated from the biometric system, before reintroducing it again.
