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Tag: allowances

  • Court sacks Benue legislator, orders refund of salaries, allowances

    After three years of legal battle over a seat in the Benue State House of Assembly, the Appeal Court in Makurdi yesterday sacked Benjamin Nungwa  as a legislator.

    The court gave the appellant in the case, Joseph Boko, the nod to replace the sacked Nungwa.

    Boko and Nungwa had contested the APC primary of Kwande West legislative seat in April 2015, which was won by Boko.

    Dissatisfied with the conduct of the primary, Nungwa, sent a petition on the outcome of the primary to the APC National Secretariat for arbitration.

    An Arbitration Panel was subsequently set up by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to resolve the disputed primary election.

    Boko then went to court, suing   Nungwa, the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) and the APC .

    He said  that the said panel, which claimed to have held sittings in Makurdi, never invited him but took decisions from its purported sittings that had adverse effects on him.

    He, therefore, prayed the court to declare that the panel was not competent to sit since it was not in the first instance, properly constituted.

    Bello averred that the panel had no chairman and secretary and therefore, did not form a quorum to take decisions.

    He also argued that by excluding him from its proceedings, his right of fair hearing was infringed upon.

    The appellant also averred that he was properly nominated as the party’s candidate for the election and prayed the court to order Nungwa to relinquish the seat he was occupying to him.

    Boko had also argued that that many weeks after the deadline for substitution of candidates at INEC had already closed, his name was illegally substituted with that of Nungwa.

    The appellant averred that it was his name that was sent to INEC and wondered who authorised the substitution.

    He argued that “after submitting names to the INEC, it is only the candidate himself that can withdraw or it could be withdrawn if he dies; I did not withdraw my name and I am not dead.’’

    However in her judgment, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court Makurdi, affirmed Nungwa as the APC’s candidate and cited the decision of the National Working Committee of the party as the basis.

    Dissatisfied with the judgment, Boko approached the Supreme Court, which after hearing the matter, expunged all cross appeals and motions that were unnecessary to the case and transmitted it back to the Appeal Court with a directive for a speedy retrial on merit.

    In a unanimous judgement, read by Justice Joseph Ekanem and supported by Presiding Judge, Justice Hannatu Sankey, yesterday  in Makurdi, the court overturned the judgment of the Federal High Court, which affirmed Nungwa as the winner of the legislative seat.

    The court, therefore, ordered the immediate sack of Nungwa, who was described as “an illegal occupant of the Kwande West legislative seat’’.

    The jurists also ordered him to refund all salaries and allowances earned within the three years he occupied the seat in the Benue House of Assembly and granted N200,000 costs to the appellant.

    The appellate court resolved three out of five issues brought to it for determination by the appellant in his favour.

    The court resolved that the arbitration panel of the NWC of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that claimed to resolve the disputed Kwande West primary was not competent to handle the crises, hence it was not properly constituted.

    It also resolved that the appellant was denied fair hearing since he was not invited to appear before the panel and agreed that the nomination of the appellant was done in accordance with the party’s procedures.

    Nungwa, according  to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), is currently serving a six-month suspension by the Benue House of Assembly for allegedly plotting to impeach Gov.Samuel Ortom.

  • Candidate to pay Ovia students bursary from salaries, allowances

    The candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the Ovia Federal constituency seat in the House of Representatives, Mr. Dennis Idahosa, has promised to pay students bursary from his salaries and allowances.

    Idahosa said he used his salary as a Commissioner of Investment under Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to pay indigent students tuition fees and provide soft loan to market women in Ovia.

    He made the promise while having interactive session with students from drawn from the University of Benin, Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State Polytechnic, Usen. Tayo Akpata University of Education, College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi and the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN).

    All the institutions are located in Ovia North East and Ovia South West local government areas.

    Idahosa said he would not renege on his promises to effectively represent their interest as a Federal lawmaker.

    He stated that a certain family placed Ovia constituency in its pocket without any meaningful development.

    The APC candidate said he would collate a data base of the unemployed and match same with job opportunities that may arise.

    According to him, “I will do things differently. I will work for the youths and the students. I was not born into a rich family and the condition I grew up made me commit myself to helping the poor.

    “I will not change my attitude towards the poor. I will give grants to students and assist them with bursary. I will work with the State and federal government to attract development to all parts of the constituency.

    “I am not here to tell you stories, I have been told by God to come liberate my people. I am not contesting for an executive position, but mine is to work with the three tiers of Government to impact on the lives of the people of the constituency.

    “Some certain family have placed the federal constituency in their pockets and have failed to impact meaningfully to the development of the area. I, with your support, have come to liberate the constituency from this family,” he said.

    The students said they have made up their mind to vote out Barr. Omosede Igbinedion over what they termed “failure to effectively represent their interest” as a lawmaker.

    They said Omosede elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) neglected her constituents since her election in 2015, and failed to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the students and youths of her constituent.

    Spokesman for the students, Oviafabor Armstrong, said the decision to work, mobilise and vote for Idahosa was borne out of the fact that he has been consistent with support for the students’ and youths, even without being a lawmaker.

    “Being a youths herself and her background, we thought she understands our plight, but we were wrong as she went to sleep soon after her election.

    “She did not only failed to impact in the development of the Federal Constituency by way of attracting people oriented projects to the area, she has also failed to represent our yearnings and aspirations as student’s’ and youths.

    “As you may be aware, the constituency probably has the largest concentration of Higher Institutions in Nigeria, with no fewer than five higher institutions, we have the number to decide who our representative is,” he stated.

     

  • ‘Disburse N8b earned allowances to varsity staff’

    The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has urged the Federal Government to disburse the N8 billion approved for the payment of earned allowances to non-teaching staff in universities

    It wants the money to be disbursed to the members of the three non-teaching staff unions in universities and the inter-university centres.

    Its National President, Comrade Chris Ani, stated this at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union in Abuja.

    Ani also urged the Federal Government to address the issue of Peculiarity Allowances for workers in polytechnics, colleges of education, teaching hospitals and research institutes.

    He said: “We urge the government to put an end to the issue of payment of Earned Allowances by ensuring that henceforth the allowance is paid monthly and provision is made for the allowance in the 2019 budget. We also call on the government to put an end to the issue of payment of salaries in percentage to staff of universities in line with the MoU entered into with the three non-teaching staff unions in the sector.”

  • National Assembly legislative aides protest non-payment of salaries, allowances

    legislative aides at the National Assembly yesterday welcomed lawmakers back from their annual recess with a protest over alleged non-payment of salaries, Duty Tour Allowances (DTA) and other entitlements.

    The protesters, numbering over 50, besieged the chambers’ lobby, carrying placards with various inscriptions and rendered solidarity songs.

    The leader of the workers, Mr Nyakmo Etuk, alleged that they were owed two months’ salary arrears, and DTA since the beginning of the 8th Assembly in 2015.

    “We have been here for the past three years, getting to four years, and have been witnessing issues of delay in payment of salaries.

    “Sometimes, it will linger for months. As I talk to you now, the last time we were paid was on Aug. 15, which is very pathetic because that was the eve of the last Sallah celebrations.

    “Since then, we have not received any salary from August to September. Today is October 9, almost the middle of the month.

    “We have children, we have mothers, and we have bills to pay, yet we are working here without salaries,” he said.

    Etuk said besides salary, every legislative aide was entitled to DTA, which had not been paid in the last three and a half years.

    He said that every time the workers complained, the management told them they were working on the matter.

    “We have waited, we have calculated this DTA across board, and some on us are being owed up to N1.8 million.

    “It is from the DTA we go on errand and do some other miscellaneous things.

    “I don’t know what we have done wrong, because the last National Assembly leadership paid us up to date.

    “We are not talking about training, lack of which is also an issue here. You can’t expect efficient service from people you have not trained.

    “We are supposed to be undergoing four trainings in a year, and ever since we started, we have not had even one,” he added.

    As the protest was going on, Speaker Yakubu Dogara arrived at the complex at 11:09 a.m.

    Dogara walked past the protesters, who had gathered around the back entrance through which he entered the lobby, and headed to the chambers, waving at them.

    Some minutes later, Senator Ali Ndume arrived and walked into the crowd of protesters, who started hailing him.

    “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said after the crowd had calmed down, “you know my nature; I am always with you.”

    “So, if you want me to carry this (the placard) and show the world, I will gladly do that.”

    He held one of the placards and posed for a photograph with the now jubilant workers, before heading to the Senate chambers.

    The workers staged a similar protest in September.

  • How much ex-Deputy Governor got as allowances – Kano

    The Kano State Government has denied allegations of non-payment of entitlements by the former deputy governor, Professor Hafiz Abubakar.

    The government while reacting to Abubakar’s resignation noted that based on available records, in 2017 alone, the sum of over N120, 000, 000.00 was paid to former deputy Governor as traveling allowance both within and outside the country, while in 2018, over N30, 000, 000.00 million was paid to him for various traveling allowances.

    A statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Youth and Culture, Malam Muhammad Garba and made available to reporters also stated that in July the sum of N7, 409, 575.00 was released to the former deputy governor to travel to the United Kingdom to receive an Honourary Degree from the University of Reading

    The sum of N7, 800, 000.00 was also said to have been paid the deputy governor, who doubles as Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation as his travelling allowance to Khartoum, Sudan for the convocation ceremony of the University of Africa.

    “Also,for a trip to the United Kingdom for the World Education Forum, the sum of N8, 509, 000.00 was paid to him; while his trip to Saudi Arabia for his daughters’ graduation was also sponsored by the state government, among other privileges extended to him’’,

    The state government also challenged the former deputy governor on allegations that the state government has committed resources to sponsor rally in support of his removal from office, pointing out that,the gravity of the allegation may prompt the government to take appropriate action.

    ‘’The former deputy governor ought to have landed safely and quietly instead of making unsubstantiated allegations just to draw attention,‘’

    The statement further stated that for fear of ominous impeachment process by the Kano state House of Assembly, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, has hurriedly tendered his resignation, following the decision by 30 out of the 40 legislators to commence impeachment proceeding against him over false, unfounded allegations and undermining the state government.

    The deputy governor was also accused of making unguarded comments capable of causing disaffection particularly in the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) and the state in general.

    The government  also debunked allegation over threat to his life and that of members of his immediate family which it regarded as unbecoming considering his position as number two citizen with a provision for statutory security detail.

  • Akeredolu: salaries, allowances consume 90 per cent of state’s income

    Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) yesterday lamented a situation where 90 per cent of the N5 billion monthly allocations of the state were spent on salaries, allowances, gratuities and pensions.

    He said it would be difficult to meet other obligations, such as employment of primary school teachers, building of roads, classrooms and other infrastructural projects.

    The governor spoke at Owode-Obaile in Akure North Local Government during the inauguration of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) ultra-modern resort, constructed by the Ondo State leadership of the union.

    He hailed NULGE President Dr. Olubunmi Eniayewu and his team for initiating projects that impacted on local government workers.

    Akeredolu said his administration released N200 million regularly to offset backlog of gratuities and give car loans to workers.

    The governor, justifying his statement on his administration’s inability to pay workers’ leave allowances until the state is buoyant, which caused protest at the May Day celebration in Akure on Tuesday, said it was the right of every Nigerian to protest or disagree with government’s decision.

    He said he would act in the interest of the state.

    Akeredolu said: “We earn about N5 billion every month, N4 billion goes for salaries and allowances. How do we address shortage of teachers in primary schools? How do we build classrooms? How do we provide transformers for communities without electricity? The majority want their roads built. The present state is depressing.

    “It is unfortunate that some people now refer to our state as a civil service enclave where governance has been reduced to payment of salaries, allowances, grants and subventions.”

    He added: “So, you can shout, you can protest. It is your right, you can remain in the sun for days, but I will not change my style in the interest of the majority. We are paying salaries regularly, workers must not be selfish, allow us to take care of others.”

    The governor said of over six million people, workers constituted only two per cent, stressing that it would be unreasonable to spend monthly allocation on workers at the expense of others.

    Eniayewu said the recreational facilities would facilitate training and retraining of workers through seminars and entrepreneurial skills acquisition.

    The union leader, who hailed Akeredolu for promotion of his members, enjoined the government to approve the promotion of local government workers, who had been due since January.

  • Confusion as technical hitch gift youth corps members multiple allowances

    Confusion as technical hitch gift youth corps members multiple allowances

    Confusion has hit members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), following a system failure in payment of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) which led to disbursement of multiple allowances to hundreds of corps members with many others being deprive in the process.

    The Nation gathered that some corps members, who started receiving their monthly stipends were surprised when they got multiple credit alerts – some up to four times – for October payment.

    For instance, it was learnt that some of those who passed out on Thursday, November 2, got as much as N164,000 instead of the usual N41,000.

    Others who are still serving received as much as N79,200 instead of 19,800.

    Sources from NYSC office in Port Harcourt said a good number of corps members have been waiting in vain for their allowances.

    “I usually get my allowance through a new generation bank. We were told to expect payment of our allowances before our POP (passing out parade) but we did not get it.

    “But on Monday  evening, I received a credit alert from my bank for payment. It was for  N41,000. As I was rejoicing over the payment, another one came in,” a source who asked not to be named said.

    The source later got two more alerts, which increased his account by N164,000.

    Another corps member, who served in Owo, Ondo State, said she was yet to receive her alert 48-hour as at yesterday’s afternoon.

    Although the NYSC was yet to make a statement on the development, a letter allegedly sent by an official of one of the affected banks on Tuesday night appealed to beneficiaries of the “largesse” to return the excess payment.

    The letter read:  ”As you may have noticed, due to a little hitch and technical error of our automated FTDS (fund transfer and dispensing system), some corps members were paid twice and others even up to four times of the usual 19,800 monthly allowance while others haven’t received.

    “Please NYSC is a scheme that test not just your academic qualification but also a test of your character. So, we want to use this medium to appeal to those that were paid allowance twice or thrice to please return the excess so we can pay those that didn’t receive. Please, let’s be our brothers’ keepers.

    It was learnt that those who got multiple payments were in dilemma about what to do.

    “Should I give it back or enjoy this little piece of my share of the national cake?” one corps member said.

  • Nurses nationwide threaten strike over allowances, others

    NURSES and midwives have threatened to embark on a nationwide strike should Federal Government fail to address their demands.

    Besides, their union, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), warned that the resolution of the issues in contention with resident doctors will open up a chain of industrial actions by other health unions.

    Already, resident doctors on Monday embarked on an indefinite strike.

    A statement signed by NANNM National Chairman Wale Olatunde and

    National Secretary Gambo M. Danfulani said the only solution is for the issues in the health sector to be tackled holistically.

    The group said: “We once again call on the government to do the needful within the window period as our patience is already over-taxed and we should not be held responsible for any breakdown in services. There is a limit to every human patience and endurance.

    “While we are not oppose to the government resolving its issues with NARD, we are quick to add that the resolution of the issues in contention with members of the NARD will only open up a chain of industrial actions by other unions/associations in the health industry because their issues pre-date those of the NARD but which the powers-that-be in the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) and Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment have left unattended to, despite court judgments. For the information of government, the unresolved issues to which the FMOH and Labour have been put on notice include:

    *Chronic shortage of general and specialist manpower in our various institutions, inadequate provision of medical consumables and services in an attempt to promote PPP for personal and selfish reasons;

    *Stagnation/redesignation/demotion of our members contrary to 2012 & 2014 NIC judgments on career progression and skipping;

    *Stoppage/non-restoration of payment of teaching allowance to our deserving members on CONHESS 7&8 despite enabling circular;

    *Non-payment of arrears owed from 2011 till date in most hospitals

    *Non-payment of uniform allowance owed from 2008 till date in some hospitals; and

    *Non-payment of arrears of Relativity Allowance to our deserving members

    *Non deduction and non-remittance of union dues by some hospital managements.”

    It added: “We will like to recall that our union through our National Secretariat (NANNM) has engaged the FMOH and Labour and other relevant agencies severally on the above issues, appealing that the needful be done not only to avoid industrial disharmony but to reciprocate the kind gestures of nurses/midwives, especially in the Federal health institutions, who have shown much understanding as this issues lingered on for quite some years now.

    “It is often very convenient for the FMOH and Federal Ministry of Labour (both headed by medical doctors) to ignore ultimatum given by these bodies and issuing the threat of “No-Work No-Pay” while NARD, a non labour organisation, is pampered if not over-pampered.

    “We once again call on the Presidency, the Senate, House of Representatives and the good people of our great country to declare a state of emergency in the health industry at all levels so that the rot in the industry can be holistically looked into with a view to pragmatically resolving issues that bothers on health administration, practice, headship, representation, benefits and welfare of all stakeholders in the industry. A healthy nation is a wealthy nation.”

  • ‘Fed Govt begins payment of N200b salary arrears, allowances’

    The Federal Government will this month begin payment of unpaid salary arrears and allowances of public servants

    Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) President, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, said the payment of the money, which is over N200 billion, excluding pension, would commence from this month.

    “Recently, we wrote a protest letter to the National Assembly and all the parties involved which include the organised labour, Head of Service, Labour Minister, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Senate President.

    “The meeting was successful and I am happy to announce that the payment will commence as from this September.

    “I commend the National Assembly, most especially the Senate President for their timelyintervention,” Kaigama said.

    He, however, condemned the delay in the constitution of the 29-member National Minimum Wage Committee and warned the government not to stress the patience of workers beyond limit. He said the minimum wage implementation should be holistic and not selective.

    “You are aware that the issue of minimum wage is very topical. While there was a pronouncement to constitute the committee, they have requested for our list which we have send, therefore the committee need to be inaugurated so that the process can go on.

    “We condemned the delay to constitute the 29-member committee of National Minimum Wage for the country.

    “The Federal Government should not take the patience of workers beyond limit as the wage structure is no longer tenable when viewed against the economic reality on the ground,” Kaigama added.

  • ‘Fed Govt begins payment of N200b salary arrears, allowances’

    The Federal Government will this month begin payment of unpaid salary arrears and allowances of public servants

    Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) President, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, said the payment of the money, which is over N200 billion, excluding pension, would commence from this month.

    “Recently, we wrote a protest letter to the National Assembly and all the parties involved which include the organised labour, Head of Service, Labour Minister, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Senate President.

    “The meeting was successful and I am happy to announce that the payment will commence as from this September.

    “I commend the National Assembly, most especially the Senate President for their timelyintervention,” Kaigama said.

    He, however, condemned the delay in the constitution of the 29-member National Minimum Wage Committee and warned the government not to stress the patience of workers beyond limit. He said the minimum wage implementation should be holistic and not selective.

    “You are aware that the issue of minimum wage is very topical. While there was a pronouncement to constitute the committee, they have requested for our list which we have send, therefore the committee need to be inaugurated so that the process can go on.

    “We condemned the delay to constitute the 29-member committee of National Minimum Wage for the country.

    “The Federal Government should not take the patience of workers beyond limit as the wage structure is no longer tenable when viewed against the economic reality on the ground,” Kaigama added.