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Tag: gratuities

  • Oyo releases N1.5b for teachers, council workers’ gratuities

    THE Oyo State Government said it has released N1.5 billion as part payment of outstanding gratuities and pension arrears to retired primary school teachers and local government workers.

    It also stated that Governor Abiola Ajimobi has approved that the current salary of workers in the state be paid with their new financial benefits in line with the 2012 – 2016 promotion exercise as recommended by the Technical Committee set up by the governor on February 14, 2019.

    Besides, the state’s local governments and Local Council Development Area (LCDAs) will now contribute N750 million quarterly for the same purpose to offset the accumulated gratuities of the retired local government workers, including retired primary school teachers at all grade levels.

    Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice Mr. Oluseun Abimbola explained that the decision was taken after the out-of-court settlement between the state government and the NUP.

    He said retired council workers should visit their various local governments to know the modalities of collection of their gratuities.

    Abimbola was with his counterparts from the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr. Bimbo Kolade and Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism Mr. Toye Arulogun.

    He stated that the NUP and government recently received the enrolled order of the National Industrial Court, Ibadan Division as delivered by Justice Dele Peters, ratifying the terms of the settlement between the government and the pensioners on Monday, March 4, 2019.

    He stressed that government has commenced payment of the N1.5 billion.

    The commissioner noted that the out-of-court settlement proffered solution to the about 12 years of pensions arrears and gratuity, adding that steps have been taken to ensure that all due pensions are paid at appropriate times without adding it to the existing arrears.

  • Firms not paying workers’ gratuities, says ASSBIFI

    Firms not paying workers’ gratuities, says ASSBIFI

    Many organisations are not paying workers’’ gratuities, the Associa-tion of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) has alleged.

    Speaking with The Nation, its President, Comrade Oyinkan Olasanoye, said: “We realised that the management of organisations are not paying our members at the end of their service. What belongs to workers, which is the gratuity, the majority of organisations are no longer paying it.”

    Ms Olasanoye said this was what informed ASSBIFE’s proposal on “Loss of job insurance” for members.

    She said the association realised that when its members were asked to go, nothing was given to them.

    She, however, said the union would continue to advise members on the need to allow it to be more involved in decisions concerning their welfare and to properly brief them on such matters. She added t the management  should not sack without resource to due process.

    On the sack of workers in financial institutions, she said the law was clear on it. Olasanoye said under the law, when an organisation wishes to lay off a worker, the union should be called in for negotiation.

    She said: “The law didn’t say you can’t lay people off, but there are ways of doing it. We have been appealing to our members that they should not wait until they are laid off. The moment they hear the rumour that they are about to be laid off, they should write their management to that effect and brief us on who to discuss with.”

    Ms Olasanoye, however, said the union would continue to appeal to its members and management of their companies and employers that the  meltdown is one that needs everyone’s hands to be on deck.

    “We also want to appeal to them that they should let us work together because our sector is a very sensitive and with the meltdown, we can’t afford to have issues that will affect the public trust on the sector that is already affected by various policies that are not acceptable to the people. We will appeal to the management to let us discuss and go through due process,” she added.

  • Firms are not paying workers’ gratuities, ASSBIFI alleges

    Firms are not paying workers’ gratuities, ASSBIFI alleges

    Many organisations are not paying workers gratuities, the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) has alleged.

    In an interview, its President, Comrade Oyinkan Olasanoye, said: “We realised that the way management of organisations are going these days, they find a way of not paying our members at the end of their service. What belongs to workers which is the gratuity, majority of organisations are no longer paying it.

    “So, we realised that when our members are asked to go, nothing is always attached. Because of that we  realised that majority of our members would start thinking of tomorrow and delving into some untoward things. To prevent that, in order to have a succour somewhere, that is what informed the  proposal on loss of job insurance for members.”

    She continued: “We keep on advising our members on the need to allow the union to be more active in decisions and to be properly briefed on the matter. Under no reason should the management lay off somebody anyhow.”

    On the sack of workers in financial institutions, she said the law was clear on it.

    Olasanoye said under the law, when  an organisation wished to lay somebody off, the union in that worker’s  sector should be called for negotiation.

    She said: “The law didn’t say you can’t lay people off, but there  are ways of doing it. We have been  appealing to  our members that they should not wait until they are laid off.

    “The moment they heard the rumour that they were about to be laid off, they should write their management to that effect and let   briefed us on who to discuss with.

    “We will keep on appealing to our members and management of their companies and employers that the recession and the economic meltdown is one that everyone needs all hands on deck.

    ‘’We also want to appeal to them that they should let us work together because our sector is a very sensitive and with the meltdown, we can’t afford to have issues that will affect the public trust on the sector that is already corroded by various acts and policies that are not acceptable to the people. We will appeal to the management to let us discuss and go through due process,” she said.

  • N14.5b Paris Club refund: Akwa Ibom groans under gratuities, pensions

    The Akwa Ibom State government has said the N14.5 billion refund it got from Paris Club cannot settle outstanding gratuities and pension.

    Special Adviser to the Governor on Labour Matters Mr Unyime Usoro, spoke yesterday in Uyo, the state capital, in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    Usoro said the refund was inadequate to offset backlogs accumulated over the years.

    He said: “Even if they want to use the entire N14.5 billion Paris club loan, it will not be able to settle all the outstanding gratuities and pension of workers.”

    The governor’s aide assured that part of the money would be used to settle arrears gratuities and pension.

    He said: “Governor Udom Emmanuel listened to the cry of the pensioners and the labour union, which have been battling over the years to see that entitlements are paid by the government.”

    Usoro said the Office of the Accountant-General and Commissioner for Finance would work out modalities for settling outstanding gratuities and pension.

    He said: “I think the governor has already done that. It is in black and white, when he sent a letter to the House of Assembly asking them to include the money in the 2017 budget.”

    The governor’s aide said the money would be paid in batches.

    He described the governor as a labour-friendly administrator, adding that during the festive periods, he gave bags of rice and cattle to the labour union.

    Usoro said: “I don’t think he would have done that. Of course, there are a lot of other things he has done that make him a labour-friendly governor.

    “Almost all the requests, the demands that Labour has brought before the governor, he has always done them.”

    The former state NLC chairman said Emmanuel promptly paid primary school teachers’ salary as well as others.

    On the labour movement crisis in the state, he said several meetings had been held to resolve challenges within organised labour.

    Usoro said the union resolved that the matter would be addressed internally.

    NAN recalls that the Federal Government released N14.5 billion to the Akwa Ibom State government as its share of the Paris Club refund to address welfare and development issues in the state.

  • Gratuities payment excites Akwa Ibom teachers

    Gratuities payment excites Akwa Ibom teachers

    Primary School teachers in Akwa Ibom State have commended the Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, for paying the 2011-2014 gratuities, April and May salaries as well as last year’s leave grants to some beneficiaries.

    They described it as steps taken to address the plight of teachers and improve service delivery.

    The teachers, in a statement by the concerned teachers of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, under the aegis of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), however, appealed to the governor to address non-payment of 7.5 per cent pension contribution from 2005-2013 to contributors both the dead and the living; implementation of 2012/2013 promotion and payment of arrears of beneficiaries.

    Other issues raised by the teachers included the payment of 2011 promotion arrears; release of the just concluded promotion interview; payment of short fall (variation) to teachers since June 2013 to date; payment of 2013 leave allowance and full payment of 2014 leave allowance to those who were left out.

    They also made case for release of fund to pay subvention owed school heads for more than three terms as well as renovation of school buildings and other facilities that have suffered neglect and dilapidation to add quality and value to the free and compulsory education policy of the government.

    The teachers also urged the governor to use his position to impress upon those keeping the 7.5 per cent pension contribution to pay the money to owners before school re-opens to avoid industrial disharmony.

     

  • Why Bayelsa suspended payment of gratuities, by Dickson

    Why Bayelsa suspended payment of gratuities, by Dickson

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has said the dwindling revenue accruing to the state from the Federation Account forced him to suspend the payment of gratuity arrears he inherited from the former government.

    The governor spoke yesterday in Yenagoa, the state capital, when he swore in 22 newly appointed permanent secretaries.

    Dickson urged the affected retirees to be patient with his administration, adding that the pension arrears would have been cleared but for the state’s dwindling revenue.

    He said: “But by next year, we will unfold a process by which we will begin to pay off the long accumulated gratuity payment, because that is a very serious problem that this government inherited.

    “We are very concerned about that. I like to …call on those pensioners and members of the public service to bear with us.

    “You are all aware that it was this government that started the N250 million monthly instalment payment. But it was when the economy took a dive for the worse that we stopped. So, that is a problem we acknowledge really exists. But we will work together to solve it.”

    Dickson also sworn in a Special Adviser on Inter-Governmental Affairs, Mr Austin Adigio, to replace Chief Rufus Abadi, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The governor reconstituted the Bayelsa State Physical Planning and Development Board, Hospitals Management Board, the Scholarships Board and the Post-Primary Schools’ Board.

    He said the new permanent secretaries were appointed on merit and in recognition of their hard work and contributions to the state public service.

    Dickson described the selection that led to the appointment of the permanent secretaries as fair and competitive.

    Then governor said the appointments were devoid of political considerations, adding that they were in line with his administration’s policy of depoliticising the civil service.

    He hailed the civil servants and some of their past leaders, including two former Heads of Service, Sir Fraser Okuoru and Dr Josephine Igodo, for their innovative contributions.

    Dickson restated his administration’s commitment to prioritising workers’ welfare, especially in the payment of salaries and pension entitlements, despite the financial crisis rocking the state and the country.

    The governor urged the new permanent secretaries to work with their commissioners to promote professionalism and improved service delivery.

    He said: “It is my expectation and prayer that our civil service will also be reckoned with, the way people respect the public service in some older states.

    “With what we have started in the ‘professionalisation’ and ‘depoliticisation’ of the public service since we came in and building on what others have done, I believe that with time, the Bayelsa State public service will be one of the best in Nigeria. That is my wish for you all.”

    The new permanent secretaries, who passed the promotion examination conducted by the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) in June, 2014, are: Ebikipa Ebikake, John Egbe, Felix Odubo, Dr. Alice Atuwo-Andekebi, Dr Wisdom Sawyer, Lady Grace Fiepere and Mrs Atonye Pekene.

    Others are: Igunu Hosea Ebifanyo, Dr. Akpoku Inodu Nathaniel, Moses Dika, Amakiri Boumonyo Fredrick, Luka Obiri, Jackson Bidei, Japhet Bank, D. C. Ebiwari, Godspower Atoko, S. S. Burufegha and Simon Adomokeme.

    Also sworn in as permanent secretaries are: Ere Efeke, Bolouikie Kingdom Yeri, Ovie-Izibe Victor and Mrs. Ebiere Igodo-Adeh.

    The Bayelsa State Physical Planning and Development Board has Charles Dorgu as Chairman.

    Others are: Chief Iboro Ige-Idaba (Executive Secretary), Ezekiel Gunn, Ms Stella Raine, Ebi Wodu, Mrs Kenisuomein Walson, Ijebuode Agbaragu, Chief David Okolai Otietie and Gede Moses Doubeni.

    Other members are: Smart Ayama, Comrade Tengi Ebiegberi, John Famokuma, Ere Efeke, Clive Ezekiel, Benson Diriyai, Ikierigha Lucky Jeremiah, Tamadu Abasi, Awudu Adike and Auditor Clinton Ikobho.

     

  • Workers shut down firm over gratuities

    Workers shut down firm over gratuities

    Workers of Beauty Fair Laboratories Limited, a cream and perfume making firm stormed the company yesterday, demanding payment of their gratuities following their sack.

    It was gathered that they were sacked on Friday, following an alleged theft of 10,000 pieces of product packaging jars from the store.

    The Nation gathered that when the workers got their sack letters last week, they locked the company’s chairman, Mr Fola Ogunlesi, in his office, demanding their gratuities.

    It took the intervention of riot policemen for the chairman to regain his freedom.

    Yesterday, the workers barricaded the entrance, alleging that they were sacked to enable the  company recruit casual workers for cheap labour.

    Neither the chairman nor his children, was around during the protest.

    The workers denied stealing from the firm, accusing the management of using that as smokescreen to sack them.

    Wahab Adisa, the store keeper, denied that any material is missing from the store.

    If there was a theft, Adisa said the chairman’s son and Director, Olumide Ogunlesi, who is always the last person to lock the store and keep the keys, should be in the position to explain how the materials got missing.

    Adisa, who claimed to have been with the company for 15 years, said he personally took the delivery of the jars when they were imported in June and counted them after they were moved into the store. He said some of the materials had been used for production, alleging that the management wanted to frame up the workers to have reason for sacking them.

    He said: “I am in charge of extra reach jars, which they claim are missing. Towards the end of June, a senior management staff ordered a staff in charge of the labelling order, Aaron Chukwuma, to take stock of the jars without my consent. But Chukwuma came to inform me about it and I told him there was no way to get accurate figure since part of the jars had been used for production immediately after they were brought from abroad.

    “Based on the stock I took after we took delivery of the consignment, I counted 53,850 pieces and I made the figure available to the management. They started using the jars immediately. When I took the stock again, I discovered 9,333 differences, which were used for production. Then, I made the figure available to the management but they responded that the jars had been stolen by workers.

    “If the jars were truly stolen from the store, they (management) are the ones that keep the keys. The moment we leave the factory, they would lock up everywhere and keep the keys in secret places known to them.”

    Ben Imoikor, chief chemical mixer, who claimed to have been with the company since 1994, said he was no longer interested working for the firm, because of his chest problem, which resulted from long hours of exposure to chemicals’ fumes.

    Imoikor said he had a clinical operation to remove a growing lump of tissue from his left hand last year. He said he decided to resign to prevent his early death because of the constant occupational illness he suffers.

    But the company, he said, did not accept his resignation. Rather, he was given a sack letter on Friday. He demanding his gratuity from the company.

    The company chairman could not be reached; his son, Olumide, refused to pick our reporter’s calls.

    When The Nation sent a text to him, Olumide replied at 3:34pm, saying: “Good day to Mr. Ajetunmobi. Sorry am (sic) seeing your text late. I am in a meeting and will get across to you.”

  • Ogun pays N17b as pensions, gratuities

    Ogun pays N17b as pensions, gratuities

    Over N17 billion has been paid as pensions and gratuities since the inception of the Senator Ibikunle Amosun-led administration came on board in Ogun State in May 2011, the state Head of Service, Mrs Modupe Adekunle, has said.

    Speaking in Abeokuta during the Ministerial Press Briefing to mark the third anniversary of the Amosun government, Adekunle said over N12.2 billion had been paid to pensioners while gratuities totaling over N5.5 billion, including the back-log owed by the immediate past administration, had  been paid to date.

    She added that the government had implemented the Contributory Pension Schedule for officers employed since January 1, 2008 till date.

    On employment, Adekunle said 10,504 unemployed citizens of the state were recruited or empowered  as at May, 2012; 967 last year while 296 candidates who were successful during the Civil Service Selection had been issued letters of appointment.

    “In the same vein, the Civil Service Commission recruited 459 officers into various cadres as replacement of those that retired from the service so as to beef up the staff strength in special areas,” Adekunle added.

    The Head of Service noted that promotions of public servants had been done promptly, revealing that no fewer than 2,141 officers were promoted duirng last year’s promotion exercise, adding  that 742 of their counterparts in the parastatals were also moved up.

    Meanwhile, the state government has assured that improvement in resource management and budget discipline towards increasing the level of productivity and accountability would continue to be given utmost priority.

    The state Commissioner for Budget and Planning Mrs. Oluwande Muoyo, said this was to ensure a reduction of the cost of governance in state.

    The commissioner said at  the briefing that this necessitated the launch of the state Public Financial Management (PFM) Reform Agenda in May, last year.

    She said since the launch of the reform, significant achievements had been recorded in the control and preventive vigilance on payroll preparation in which a substantial amount had been recovered while the certification of pay analysis reports and nominal roll by the accounting officer of each agency of the government was strictly adhered to, which enhanced integrity of the pay roll.

    Muoyo said despite the short fall in the receipt from Federal Account, coupled with harsh economy environment, the state 2014 budget has achieved a first quarter performance of 61.87 per cent.