The Kaduna state government has disengaged over 4,000 workers. Jafaru Sani, commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, said the affected workers were from the state’s local service commission.
Sani said while 3,159 of the affected workers were retired, the others were laid off.
He said the measure is part of efforts of the state government to renew public service in the state and also cut down overhead cost. He said only one out of the 23 local government areas in the state is could meet up payment of salaries or execution of any project.
He also cited instances where some councils are overstaffed.
The commissioner added that the state government will pay all the affected workers their retirement benefits and other entitlements.
“It is a known fact that the LGAs were overburdened by redundant and unproductive staff who are contributing nothing to the development of the councils,” he said.
“Because of the over-bloated staff, the LGAs are doing nothing other than paying salaries and end up becoming more or less a poverty alleviation centres, where people just go to collect money and go home.
“To ensure development at the local levels therefore, we have to do what is right by downsizing the redundant staff to free some funds that would be injected in developmental projects.
“With the disengagement, the supporting members of staff at the 23 LGAs are now 6,732, excluding primary school teachers and primary health care workers.”
The development is coming about two weeks after the state government revealed plans to sack 21,780 teachers for failing a competency test it organised.
Only one-third of primary school teachers in the state who sat for the test were able to score up to 75 percent in the grading.