The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Council workers

  • Why we disengaged 4,042 council workers, by El-Rufai

    Why we disengaged 4,042 council workers, by El-Rufai

    Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has explained the sack of 4,042 local government workers, saying they were laid off as part of efforts to make the 23 councils self-sustaining.

    The government, on Monday, retired 3,189 workers with over 10 years in service, and terminated 883 others yet to reach retirement age.

    The governor said only Birnin Gwari council is financially healthy; six on life support.

    The remaining can barely pay workers from the federal allocation and 10 per cent Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) given to them by the state.

    El-Rufai, who spoke through his media aide, Samuel Aruwan, said the move became imperative to reduce the workforce to enable councils carry out capital projects and provide basic services for their people.

    He said: “There are many workers in our councils who don’t have any work; they only report to the councils to receive their salary. The government wants a situation where only the required work at the councils, not redundant people.

    “Most of the councils, after receiving their monthly allocation, are barely able to pay salaries; the state has to augment the shortfall. Six local governments are on life support as they cannot even pay salary; others can pay but cannot execute development projects after deducting salary.

    “This is part of our campaign promises to restructure the work force and ensure workers are not redundant. There are two to three million youths within Kaduna metropolis, comprising Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Igabi and Chikun councils, who need employment. The bloated work force in the local governments made it difficult to achieve positive change in the state.”

    Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Ja’afaru Sani said the affected workers had been served letters, adding that their directors were directed to pay them three months salary and pension in lieu of notice to those retired, and one month salary and gratuity to those, whose appointments were terminated. They will all receive November salary.

    “We have identified eight councils that have shortage of personnel in critical areas, we would soon advertise to fill the vacant positions.

    “There are 145 NCE holders in the councils, who are on grade level three or four, which is below grade level seven which they should be. They would be transferred and absorbed into SUBEB after undergoing a mandatory competence test.

    “There are 6,732 workers left across the 23 councils after the 4,042 were laid off,” he said.

  • NULGE: 22 states, FCT owing council workers

    NULGE: 22 states, FCT owing council workers

    Debt computation 

    1. Bayelsa State (10 to 16 months)
    2. Kogi (seven to 15 months)
    3. Delta State (eight to 14 months)
    4. Kaduna (12 months)
    5. Oyo (three to 11 months)
    6. Edo (10 months)
    7. Abia (five to nine months)
    8. Kwara (two to nine months)
    9. Benue (nine months)
    10. Nasarawa (seven months)
    11. Ondo (six months)
    12. Ekiti (six months)
    13. Imo (six months)
    14. Zamfara (not implementing minimum wage)
    15. Adamawa (four months)
    16. Rivers (four months)
    17. Akwa Ibom (four months)
    18. Ebonyi (four months)
    19. Plateau (four months)
    20. (Taraba (three months)
    21. FCT (three months)
    22. Osun (paying half salaries for 24 months)
    23. Enugu (few workers owed few months).

    TWENTY-two states and the Federal Capital Territory have failed to pay local government workers’ salaries for between one and 16 months, the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) said yesterday.

    The union said 14 states – Lagos, Ogun, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Cross River, Niger and Anambra – were up to date in payment.

    In a statement issued in Abuja, the union urged governors of the indebted states to offset the workers’ salaries and other allowances with the second tranche of the Paris Club loan refund.

    It warned that failure to do so, its members would be forced to shut down the country’s local government councils.

    NULGE National President Ibrahim Khaleel cautioned governors against diverting the second tranche of the Paris Club loan refund, but use it to pay the workers’ entitlements.

    The union vowed to mobilise its members to shut down local governments.

    A computation by the union revealed that Bayelsa State was leading in indebtedness to local council workers with between 10 to 16 months, followed by Kogi (between seven to 15 months); Delta State (eight to 14 months); Kaduna, 12 months; Oyo, three to 11 months; Edo, 10 months; Abia, five to nine months; Kwara, two to nine months; Benue, nine months and Nasarawa (seven months).

    Others are: Ondo, Ekiti, Imo with six months; Zamfara (not implementing minimum wage), Adamawa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Plateau – owing four months; Taraba and FCT (three months).

    Osun State has been paying half salaries for 24 months and few workers were owed few months in Enugu.

    The union added that Ekiti State has refused to remit union dues for the past nine months. Ogun State, it added, has not remitted its deduction for seven months.

    It said 700 workers were owed for between one to three months in Cross River State.

    Khaleel, however, said the union was aware that some governors were already claiming that the amounts released were not in conformity with the published figures.

    He said: “We want to state in strong term that no governor should either divert or tamper with the fund. This should be an avenue where the backlog of arrears of salaries owed the local government workers and some other welfare packages such as leave bonus, arrears of promotion benefit, arrears of annual increment and non-implementation of minimum wage, most especially in Zamfara State; are resolved and paid.

    “We, therefore, use this medium to appeal passionately to the state governors to use this second tranche of Paris Club loan refund to clear the backlog arrears of outstanding salaries owed local government workers across the country to ameliorate the untold hardship they are passing through.

    “We want to make it categorically clear that our union will not tolerate a situation where any state governor will hide under any guise to deny local government workers their legitimate salaries and allowances.

    “In view of the above, NULGE will not hesitate to mobilise our teeming members and shut down all the local governments across the country, if the governors attempt to divert the fund meant for the payment of arrears of salaries and other entitlements. A word is enough for the wise.”

  • Council workers urge Southwest governors to clear salary arrears

    The Southwest Zone of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) yesterday urged the region’s governors to pay their outstanding salaries and allowances or face the wrath of its members.

    It also called for autonomy of local governments in the country.

    But the union hailed Lagos State for prompt payment of salaries and other allowances.

    Addressing reporters in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the Zonal Chairman/National Vice President (Southwest) Comrade Oludare Famoofo said five other states in the zone were owing council workers from three to 12 months’ salaries.

    Famoofo said Oyo State was owing between three and 12 months salaries; Ekiti, 10 months; Ogun, five months; Ondo, six months and Osun is owing senior workers over 12 months’ salaries.

    Lagos got a clean bill of health.

    According to the union, while Oyo State is owing from five to 36 months of pensions, Ekiti is owing eight months; Ogun, two months and Ondo, seven months.

    On leave grants, Oyo is owing 24 to 28 months, Ekiti 36 months while Ogun is owing from year 2014 till date.

    Famoofo, who was with other members of the Zonal Executive, said the union would explore lawful means to seek the payment of all arrears and ensure prompt payment of salaries and allowances in future.

    The union leader urged the governors to use the next tranche of Paris Club refund to offset the salary arrears to prevent a breakdown of relationship between the union and the government.

    He said: “We call on Southwest state governments to demonstrate sincerity in addressing the plight of these workers. Our governors should, as a matter of urgent importance and in the spirit of good governance, use the next tranche of the London and Paris Club refunds to clear the backlog of arrears of salaries owed workers and pensioners of the local governments in the zone.”

  • Ogun begins council workers’, pensioners’ screening today

    The screening of Ogun State local government pensioners among retired primary school teachers and pre-1991 retired teachers will begin today.

    The screening is expected to end on June 13.

    A statement by the Permanent Secretary in the Bureau of Local Government Pension, Mrs. Irene Afolashade Kokumo, said the screening for retired local government workers would today.

    The permanent secretary said it would be held at designated centres in the 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas (LCDAs).

    She urged pensioners to present their valid identification cards, two passport photographs and other necessary documents for the screening.

    The statement said the verification will begin daily at 9 a.m.

  • Edo council workers get seven months’ salaries

    Edo council workers get seven months’ salaries

    There was jubilation yesterday at Uselu, the secretariat of Egor Local Government Area of Edo State, when the workers received alert for the payment of seven months’ salaries out of the 18 months owed them.

    The workers thanked the House of Assembly for approving the payment and the timely release of funds to pay them.

    They did not get the bailout fund from the Federal Government when other councils in the state were paid because of alleged alteration in the file it submitted to the government.

    The state’s Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Comrade Young Ilenikhena, urged the state government to pay the outstanding salaries.

    Ilenikhena said NULGE was working with the State Internal Revenue Service to release Egor, Oredo and Ikpoba-Okha local government areas’ percentage without further delay.

    House of Assembly Speaker Justin Okonoboh, who announced the payment during plenary yesterday, said all categories of workers being owed in the state would be paid.

     

  • ‘Council workers are engine room of grassroots development’

    ‘Council workers are engine room of grassroots development’

    Council workers as the engine room of grassroots development have been charged to redouble their efforts at bringing the dividends of democracy to the people of Lagos State.
    The Executive Secretary of Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area Rotimi Adeleye, dropped the charge in his message on the New Year prayer/award giving ceremony of workers of his council, held last Tuesday at the council’s area office.
    Adeleye who assumed office 43 days ago said if government must succeed in its commitment to improve the infrastructure and state of social welfare of the people, it must have the backing of a workforce that is ready to eschew civil service mentality and be service-driven.
    He said: “As the engine room of this administration, the task before us is enormous and I would implore you all to key into the vision of Governor Babatunde Fashola who by example has convinced us that every good thing is achievable through determination, unity and perseverance. Let us work as one indivisible entity to place this council in an enviable position among other local governments.”
    He also charged them to go and collect their permanent voter’s card and support the All Progressives Congress (APC) party in its determination to bring the good things of life closer to the people of the area.
    In his welcome address, the Chairman of the council’s branch of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) Comrade Mayowa Morakinyo said the workers’ forum was organised to motivate all workers to continue to put in their best, adding that series of awards were introduced this year to boost worker’s morale and enlist their commitment to the continued growth, success and development of the council.
    He listed that his leadership has achieved a number of successes within his short tenure in office, ranging from upward review of monthly imprest, continuous assistance to members during promotional examinations, conversion and confirmation, and the acquisition of land for members’ estate.
    He called for the prompt completion of the proposed council secretariat which he said would resolve the lingering issue of office accommodation, even as he challenged the management to provide the workers with new staff bus, more work tools and make the present offices more worker-friendly.
    The workers under his leadership he pledged, would continue to renew their efforts in making the council a reference point in the delivery of government’s programmes and manifestoes in the grassroots in the state.
    He said over 40 retirees and 22 outstanding workers drawn from all the departments and agencies of the local government would be celebrated for their diligent service to the people of the council and the state.
    The Council Manager Alhaji AbdulAfeez Adeniyi Otuniyi lauded the NULGE leadership for putting the event together and adding to this year’s package, an award ceremony, which was targeted at not only all outstanding workers across all the departments and agencies of the council but also retirees.
    He described workers welfare as being very critical to the government adding however that the only way a worker can show appreciation for all that have been done for him is to throw everything to the job that gives him his sustenance and provides him with daily living.
    He said the council will no longer brook absenteeism and will continue to reward diligence, and hard work, adding that besides the Christmas benefit, the council has put in place a welfare initiative to take care of the financial needs of its workers.
    He assured that all within the council’s financial capacity would be done to ensure that the ongoing secretariat building does not become an abandoned project adding that when the secretariat is completed the council would be able to have all its workers in one place, which he said would enhance the workers’ productivity.
    In his goodwill message, the Human Resources Officer Alhaji Yusuf Ibitoye called on all workers to be more dedicated as the wind of reforms sweeping through the state’s civil service has berthed at the council and will likely affect all truants and those handling their official assignments with levity.
    He said: “Let me warn all of you that attendance at work is now compulsory and part of your assessment. Anyone who wants to be promoted must come to the office as this now carries 50 percent of your total assessment.”
    Highpoint of the event which was attended by the over 1,000 workforce, top management staff of the council and the four council-management team were the prayers from Christians and Moslems and gift awards to all retirees and best workers of the council.