Civil servants, who are occupants of government-owned residential houses at Yauri flats and Bado quarters, respectively converged on the premises of Sokoto State House of Assembly to present their petition over the high cost of the houses, supposed to be sold to them on owner-occupier basis.
The aggrieved civil servants, led by Mallam Sama’ila Illo, presented the petition to the Speaker of the House, Hon. Salihu Maidaji at the House in Sokoto on Tuesday.
Illo told the Speaker that occupants of government houses at Yauri flats were asked by the immediate past administration in the state to pay the sum of N2.3 million for each of the two-bedroom flats while their colleagues at Bado quarters were asked to pay N5 million for each house.
“Interestingly, even as civil servants, who depend on monthly salaries, we were all asked to pay the N2.3 million and N5 million, respectively within one month. This is apart from the payment of a N50,000 non-refundable fee,” Illo lamented.
He added: “We consider the costs of these houses as not only outrageous but also that as civil servants, it would only be fair to sell the houses to us on owner-occupier basis, the same way that similar government houses were sold to other civil servants.
“We also plead with the House of Assembly to assist in prevailing on government to review the costs downward, as well as allow for installmental payment over a period of time done to other civil servants in the past,” Illo further appealed.
He further disclosed that all spaces that serves as playgrounds, parking spaces and refuse dumps had been allocated to people who were not tenants at both Yauri flats or Bado quarters.
Responding, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Alhaji Salihu Maidaji commended the aggrieved workers for not taking the law into their hands. “I will set up an ad hoc committee within 48 hours to look into your petition and do justice to it.”