The Nation Newspaper

Tag: salary

  • No September salary for now, Fayose tells Ekiti workers

    No September salary for now, Fayose tells Ekiti workers

    Civil servants and teachers in Ekiti State agitating for the payment of their outstanding September salaries got a piece of bad news from the state chief executive on Friday.

    Governor Ayo Fayose told them to forget the payment of the salary at least for now.

    The governor who disclosed his decision while featuring on his monthly media chat, “Meet Your Governor”, said the precarious financial situation of the state would not allow him to pay workers September salaries.

    Fayose also revealed that governors of Jigawa, Adamawa and Katsina States sent rams and cows to him as part of their contributions to his “stomach infrastructure” agenda for Christmas celebrations.

    He explained that he took the step in his desire to make Ekiti people happy and ensure that they do not go hungry during the festive season.

    While urging workers in the state to exercise patient with his administration, Fayose emphasized that the financial position of the state is so bad to the extent that he had reached an agreement with some banks to give the state what he called “financial leeway” for six months to enable him pay salaries.

    The governor explained that the deductions from the allocation of the state from the Bond sourced by the last administration and commercial loans obtained from banks had adversely affected the state finances.

    Fayose pointedly told civil servants, teachers and other government workers to stop complaining and adjust themselves to the prevailing realities maintaining that he would not be deceiving them on issues affecting governance.

    He said, “I became governor on October 16 and that is two months and ten days now and I want to state categorically that I have managed resources of the state very well.

    “Now coming here to tell the people that I will pay September salaries, no, no, I will not say that. The salaries I am paying now, I had interface with banks to give me leeway for six months to be able to arrange myself, “Fayose declared

  • Reject December salary, NLC tells Kogi workers

    The Kogi State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has directed civil servants in the state to reject their December salaries to protect the jobs of over 6,000 workers slated for sack by the government.

    The NLC gave the directive yesterday in Lokoja, the state capital, in a communique issued at the end of the meeting of its executive committee.

    The communiqué was signed by James Odaodu (Chairman) and John Kolawole (Secretary).

    It noted that the leadership of the NLC was piqued by the arbitrary removal of the names of over 6,000 workers from December pay roll.

    The NLC added that the only way to protect the interest of the affected workers was for the entire workforce to reject this month’s salaries.

    Congress accused the Commissioners for Finance, Budget and Planning and the Accountant-General of ‘hijacking’ the job of the committee constituted by government to implement the report of the recent screening of the state work force.

    It urged the officials to ‘hands-off’ to ensure “thorough implementation” of the report of the exercise.

    While appreciating the government for involving labour in efforts to sanitise the state civil service, the NLC frowned at what it called “selective” implementation of the report of the screening.

    “We condemn the plan by government to implement part of the report.”

  • ‘Pay Kogi teachers two-month salary arrears’

    the Kogi State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) yesterday demanded the payment of the September and October salary of teachers.

    NUT Chairman Suleiman Abdullahi, who spoke in Lokoja, the state capital, was reacting to claims by the state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) that all teachers’ entitlements had been paid.

    Hailing Governor Idris Wada’s pledge to commit N5.4 billion to the development of primary education, Abdullahi said his efforts might  not produce results if teachers’ welfare was not taken seriously.

    He said contrary to claims that teachers had been paid, they were being owed two-month salary and other entitlements.

    Abdullahi said though the striking teachers had resumed, the union directed them to attend classrooms without teaching until their salary arrears are paid.

  • Bishop to Suswam: pay August, Sept. salary

    Bishop to Suswam: pay August, Sept. salary

    •Nigeria has financial challenges, says governor

    The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Gboko, Most Rev. Williams Avenya, has urged Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam to pay the August and September salary of workers.

    According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the bishop urged Suswam to update salary payment before his tenure expires.

    He spoke yesterday at a thanksgiving ceremony organised by the Vandeikya Traditional Council in Tse Mker, Vandeikya Local Government Area, in honour of the governor.

    The bishop, who was represented by Rev. Fr. Stephen Iortyer, said: “It is on record that your administration has improved the welfare of workers, especially primary school teachers. Please update salary payment before your tenure ends next year.

    “You have carried out a lot of infrastructural projects. Some have been completed while a few are ongoing. Please ensure that all your projects are completed in record time.”

    He urged the governor to fix the Ihugh-Tse Mker road.

    The bishop urged politicians to teach the younger generation “positive politicking” to facilitate development.

    Suswam said the nation was facing financial challenges and Benue was not an exception.

    He said he was hopeful that the discussion between the government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on the review of workers’ salary would end on a positive note.

    The governor pledged to complete the rural electrification project in the area and fix the Ihugh-Tse Mker road before his tenure expires.

  • Senior civil servants protest over ‘salary, promotion arrears’

    •Shut Education Ministry •Perm Sec refutes allegation 

    The Association of Senior Civil Servants (ASCSN) locked yesterday the entrance leading to the Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja over alleged salary and promotion arrears.

    The incident occurred about 7am.

    The aggrieved workers pasted posters with inscriptions on the wall. Other workers were locked out.

    None of them was allowed into the ministry. While some struggled to enter their officers, others were happy about the development.

    Some of the inscriptions read:  “Pay all promotion arrears, 2007 to 2013. The cheating is too much, no annual training of staff on GL 03 to GL 14 for years now. The neglect is too much.” “All workers of the Federal Ministry of Education and Unity Schools are on strike. Pay our dead colleagues’ families their burial expenses and other allowances and pay our retired colleagues their repatriation allowance from 2010 to 2014.”

    The Permanent Secretary, Dr. MacJohn Nwaobiala, dismissed the allegation that the ministry received N1.8billion from the Federal Government to pay salary and promotion arrears. He described the claim as false.

    He said it was sad that senior civil servants, who had opportunities to obtain accurate information, disrupted activities “based on a false information.”

    Nwaobiala said although it was sad that workers were owed allowances since 2007, the authority had made efforts to secure funds to pay the arrears.

    His words: “We have written, we have followed up formally and informally without success.”

    The permanent secretary, however, assured that within the meagre overhead allocations of the ministry, management had resolved to settle some of the bills in phases.

    He appealed to the striking workers to show understanding, saying the matter had been reported to the Federal Ministry of Labour, which had arranged to meet the union leadership tomorrow (today).

    Asked if the ministry was notified, Nwaobiala said no formal notification was given, adding that the union’s  notice on September 12 to embark on a strike was suspended, following discussion with the management.

    He said the next meeting, which was to hold on September 18, was postponed at the instance of the union leadership to enable them attend a workshop in Calabar.

    “We came to work today (yesterday) only to find that the union had disrupted activities by locking the offices.”

    The permanent secretary said the management had tried to ensure a harmonious working relationship with the union, including a quarterly meeting to discuss the welfare of workers.

     

  • Ekiti govt: PDP responsible for delay in salary

    Ekiti govt: PDP responsible for delay in salary

    The Ekiti State government has blamed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Governor-elect Ayodele Fayose for the delay in the payment of workers’August salary.

    The government said the delay was as a result of the refusal of banks to grant it overdraft facility due to the panic created by the governor-elect.

    It also faulted Fayose’s transition committee over the way Governor Kayode Fayemi has managed the state.

    The chair of the transition committee, Chief Dipo Anisulowo, accused the  government of mismanaging the state’s finances.  The state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also accused the governor of illegally moving funds.

    The government described the criticisms as “highly irresponsible and infantile in nature”.

    The  government, in a statement in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, said no responsible party or transition committee would make such malicious allegations against the administration, especially when such claims are unfounded.

    The statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Yinka Oyebode, said the Fayemi administration has run the affairs of the state in the last four years with utmost regard for public accountability and fiscal responsibility laws.

    “Having built a reputation of service and integrity over the years, nothing- not even a controversial loss in an election – would make us go back on this path of honour. Neither are we going to succumb to cheap and infantile blackmail,” the statement added.

    The state government challenged the PDP to mention the banks where the alleged illegal movement of funds took place and explain where the so called 3,000 workers were recruited illegally. It added that the establishment of LCDAs went through a due  process that culminated in the law passed by the state Assembly establishing the 19 new LCDAs, adding that the incoming government could annul the new councils by simply going through the lay down procedure if it so desired.

    “If Mr Fayose and his team believe that indeed many of these allegations have any iota of truth in them, one would have expected that a team that espouses a commitment to cooperation and reconciliation would have made an effort to seek further clarification on the many destructive allegations before rushing to the press, if this was not a calculated agenda to malign and manipulate public opinion.”

    The government said the PDP resorted to blackmailing the Fayemi administration after it alerted the public and the banking authorities in the country of the subterranean moves by Fayose to have unauthorised dealings with banks that have relationships with the state government.

    The statement reads: “Immediately we foiled that move by notifying relevant authorities of plans by the governor-elect to have under-the-table dealings with the banks under the guise of checking financial details, the PDP resorted to cheap blackmail. But we are undeterred.

    “For a party that is set to form government in a matter of weeks to seek to discredit the incumbent administration, through sheer falsehood and blackmail is simply irresponsible and childish.

    “PDP should mention the banks where the alleged illegal movement of funds took place and also where the so- called 3,000 workers were recruited illegally. Equally the establishment of LCDAs went through a process that started with the Justice Ajakaiye’s committee and culminated in the law passed by the Legislature establishing the 19 new LCDAs. If the incoming Government so desires let it go through due process and get the assembly to annul the process that established the LCDAs.”

  • Nembe players protest 6 months salary arrears

    Nembe players protest 6 months salary arrears

    Players of Nembe City FC are protesting the non-payment of their salaries and other entitlements for the past six months.

    Some players of the club who don’t want their name mentioned for fear of being haunted allege that the club’s chairperson, Mrs. Baribote and her husband, Chief Victor Baribote Ramson are threatening to end their football career if they continue to protest against non- payment of accrued salaries and entitlements.

    They also alleged that the Baribotes have also threatened to take on any authority who tries to take side with the protesting players including the League Management Committee led by Nduka Irabor.

    The protesting players who are fourteen in number said that they are grappling with untold hardship and pressure from their various families over the continuous withholding of their money.

    The fourteen players are therefore calling on the League Management Committee (LMC) to come to their rescue and compel the club to pay them their money.

    “The second round of the domestic football season is about to finally kick off but there is no physical indication that the players will even be paid salaries and entitlements of the first round matches after about six months of delay,” one of the players lamented.

    There is palpable fear  that some of the players will boycott matches of the upcoming second round, unless authorities of the club pay them their overdue salaries.

    When confronted with the reports suggesting that the management is yet to pay the officials and players, three players, Israel Banigo, Israel Kagu and Miebaka Stowe among others affirmed that they have refused to have their usual training session as they protest over unpaid fees.

    All attempt to speak to the technical adviser of the team, Gabriel Umunna Samuel who also has been owed proved abortive as rumours of his exit rents the air.

  • Kogi grapples with unpaid teachers’ salary

    Kogi grapples with unpaid teachers’ salary

    For teachers in Kogi State, this is not their best moment as they are grappling with backlog of unpaid teachers’ salaries owed by various local governments.

    The development led to the sack of the Alhaji Usman Jibrin-led State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) by Governor Idris Wada.

    “They (SUBEB Board) were sacked because their cup was full. The unfortunate thing is that having given them enough time to sort things out they failed to do so. Quality education, especially at the basic level, is not possible without quality teachers, and you cannot get quality teachers without payment of teachers’ salary. What went on at SUBEB was not acceptable and hopefully those that will be put in place will reposition basic education in the state and move it forward,” he said.

    Perhaps when the new SUBEB board is inaugurated, there would be a solution to the problem which has made hundreds of primary school teachers to stay away from the classroom.

    Though Wada has assured the teachers the problem would soon be resolved, and the striking teachers agreed in principle to return to the classroom, The Nation found that they have kept away because money has not been lodged in their accounts.

    The state chapter of Basic Education Staff Association of Nigeria (BESAN) has appealed to the governor to appoint a seasoned educationist to replace the sacked SUBEB chairman.

    Making the call in Lokoja, the chairman of BESAN, Adomu Sule, said sacking Jibrin and other members of the board was a step in the right direction. He lamented that teachers were yet to receive their March and April salaries even though the money had been deducted from the local government allocation.

    He also said promotion was done without cash backing, leaving the teachers poorly motivated despite their willingness to give their best.

    Sule also urged the governor to appoint competent hands as education secretaries across the 21 local governments and end the politics associated with such appointments.

     

  • Oyo to review health workers’ salary

    Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi yesterday pledged to review the salary of health workers to reflect the country’s economic situation.

    He spoke in his office in Ibadan, the state capital, while hosting executive members of the Association of Medical and Dental Officers.

    Ajimobi said his administration is determined to promote health care delivery through the provision of equipment in hospitals and improved welfare for workers.

    He said: “I hail you for your cooperation with the government, which has allowed peace and development in the state. Our development, in terms of infrastructure, is unprecedented in the history of this state and the whole world is attesting to it. All these could not have been achieved without your support, understanding and sacrifices.”

    The governor said his administration would not relent in its efforts to better the lot of the people and urged well-meaning Nigerians to partner the government, especially in the provision of basic health services.

    He said: “We have a transparent, efficient, accountable and people-oriented government, but no matter how much we do, we must expect criticisms. Our concern is to do our best to promote the progress and happiness of our people.

    “This is the essence of governance. You can assist the government by bringing up ideas on how to identify areas that need attention and improvement.”

    The association’s Chairman, Dr. Fola Oni, hailed the Ajimobi administration for improving the health status of the people through improved environmental sanitation and an effective waste disposal system.

    Oni called for the review of the edict establishing the State Hospitals’ Management Board, so as to create semi-autonomy for state-owned hospitals and to allow the board play only administrative roles.

    He also called for the review of health workers’ salary.

     

  • ‘Adult education teachers paid N500 monthly salary’

    Stakeholders at a meeting of the Agency for Adult and Non-Formal Education (ANFEA) have heard that education facilitators were paid N500 monthly salary.

    Benue State Gabriel Suswam, who was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Dr Elizabeth Ugor, spoke at the meeting in Makurdi, the state capital.

    He noted that the minimum the local government areas in Benue State were supposed to pay adult education facilitators was N6,000, though they were paying only N500.

    The governor said education is a collective responsibility, adding that the stakeholders need to brace themselves for its challenges.

    The Executive Director of the education agency Mrs. Becky Ortese said the training of 111 facilitators, organised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), broadened their knowledge for positive impact.

    She hailed Suswam and the commissioner for supporting the agency.

    Mrs Ortese, however, called for more assistance in the areas of logistics, employment of new workers and funds, to enable the agency impart literacy to the non-literate in the state.

    The Executive Secretary, National Commission for Mass Education Alahji Jibrin Paiko said there were over 40 million illiterates in Nigeria.