Kaduna workers reject sale of government quarters to highest bidders

Workers of Kaduna State have rejected move by the state government to sell ‘nonessential’ residential quarters to public servants and the general public, saying the decision to sell the quarters was without recourse to all relevant stakeholders in the state particularly workers who they say are creators of wealth and legal occupants of the properties.

The state government on Monday had advertised an invitation to bid and approved guidelines for the public auction of state government residential quarters to public servants and the general public. The move to sell off 1,990 government houses was said to have been to cut the cost of maintaining the quarters as endorsed by the State Executive Council.

Speaking on behalf of the workers, the Chairmen of Kaduna State chapters of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC); Comrade Adamu Ango and Comrade Shehu Mohammed respectively alleged that the proposed sale of residential quarters was meant to please political office holders. “It is unfortunate that the civil servants working for the state that are currently occupying these quarters were never given option of first refusal before the extension of offer to the general public. Another area of concern is that public servants receive peanut as salaries and wages when compared with those of the political office holders. Payment of 25 percent of purchase price including 10 percent non-refundable deposit is required to be made to the state government within 90 days of being declared winner and balance of 75percent is to be paid by all purchasers within an additional 90 days. Which civil servant can afford this payment?” they queried.