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Tag: salary

  • ‘Bayelsa not a leading salary defaulting state’

    The Bayelsa State government has faulted the claim by President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, that it is one of the biggest defaulting states in salary payment.

    Commissioner for Information and Orientation Daniel Iworiso-Markson said yesterday that Wabba’s assertion is misleading and mischievous.

    According to him, the report was done in bad faith because it lacked substance, as it did not reflect the true position of things in the state.

    Iworiso-Markson added that the government had been most concerned, and had over time, taken salary payment seriously, and did not owe workers till date.

    “Those who authored the story failed to cross check their facts before going to press,” he said.

    The Commissioner explained that the Dickson-led Restoration government had always fulfilled its salary obligations until recently, occasioned by the free fall in the state’s monthly allocation from the Federal Government.

    He said government borrowed to make up for the shortfall to ensure that salaries were paid, adding that while borrowing to pay salaries was not sustainable, the government decided to look inwards by taking steps to strengthen the internal revenue board to improve on the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) profile.

    “As at now, the government does not owe salaries, as we have kept faith with payment since the beginning of the year till date,” he added.

    “All council workers should resume a full strike if the government fails to reverse the directive within the three days, since the last strike was only suspended.

    “Accordingly, all branch executives of NULGE and MHWUN, in the eight councils and 32 Rural Development Authorities, are directed to fully shut down all health facilities, markets and secretariats of the councils beginning from November 9.

    “NULGE and MHWUN will no longer allow any external and fake report to infringe on the autonomy of the councils as a third tier of government in the country.”

  • Unpaid salary: Labour hails Buhari’s knocks for governors

    Unpaid salary: Labour hails Buhari’s knocks for governors

    Organised Labour has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for condemning governors who are still owing their workers despite several bailouts.

    At separate events, Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and National Union of Textile Garments and Tailoring Workers of Nigerian (NUTGTWN) said the President had shown a rare value by telling governors the truth on how he felt about their failure to pay salaries and pensions, despite the Federal Government’s interventions.

    The TUC also floored some governors for asking for the release of 50 per cent of the Paris Club loan refund, even when they could not account for the tranches released to them.

    The union lamented the plight of workers in the states and the need for urgent attention as many could barely survive.

    “For us, President Muhammadu Buhari was right when he expressed surprise on how some governors manage to sleep soundly when workers have not been paid their salaries for months. The president even wondered how the workers feed their families; pay their rents and the school fees of their children,”the TUC said.

    TUC President Bobboi Bala Kaigama said the Congress believed that the President asked these vital questions because he still has his conscience intact, noting that most of the nation’s political leaders have sold their conscience.

    “They don’t feel our pains neither do their children and cronies. What is N18,000 (Eighteen thousand naira) when juxtaposed with the prevailing economic realities in the country? It is a pity our governors prefer statues of foreigners to our health, children’s education, job creation and other meaningful activities that help build a strong society.

    “We believe in the President, but he alone cannot do it. Efforts to fight corruption have become a mirage. Experts have argued that one way recession can be addressed is when the wage of workers is increased; unfortunately the last wage increase we had was in 2011. Though due for review, but some forces who take delight in using our children as political thugs have refused. They want the status-quo (master-servant relationship) to remain.  They tell us that the economy is in recession yet it does not affect them,” he said.

    Kaigama urged the Federal Government to hold on to the money until the workers and pensioners were fully paid.

    “The governors are stock-piling the released fund somewhere waiting for 2019 election campaign, but we are going to surprise them. It is not going to be business as usual,” he said.

    NUTGTWN General Secretary Issa Aremu said it was laughable that the governors could have the effrontery to approach the President for another bailout when all they have received in the past were not used for the purpose they were meant for.

    The labour leaders, speaking at the 29th Annual National Education Conference of NUTGTWN in Sokoto, said Nigeria’s case has become a one-day one-trouble-affair.

    “Only two weeks ago, some ministers made a case for “No Work No Pay” doctrine. Their argument was that they want to check the public service workers in the country. Just imagine, how do you tell a worker that has not been paid for six months to continue to borrow to fare himself or herself to job? How do you explain it that a country that is broke still pays twitter lawmakers over N29 million on a monthly basis. This is inhuman, wicked, derogatory and devilish,” he said.

    Aremu, who is also the vice president of the Industrial Global, said the government should endeavour to pay workers all they had worked for before trying to enforce the no work, no pay doctrine.

    He maintained that the governors should be seen supporting the Federal Government in reviving the economy and this could be done by paying workers their wages.

    “The workers are the consumers, if they are not paid where would they get the money to buy finished products from our industries. It is only when our factories thrive that the economy can rebound. The workers are the ones that support the artisans and other sectors of the economy. The importance of a living wage, paid as at when due, cannot be over emphasised,”he said.

  • Arrest of Fayose’s aides shouldn’t cause salary delay, says APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has said the arrest of the Commissioner of Finance, Toyin Ojo and Accountant General, Mrs. Yemisi Owolabi, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was not the cause of the delay in the payment of workers’ salaries.

    The party described the claim by the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr. Odunayo Adesoye, as “another conspiratorial role that some labour leaders have been playing to sabotage the interest of their members”.

    In a statement yesterday, Ekiti State APC’s Publicity Secretary Taiwo Olatunbosun expressed regrets that Labour had failed to protect the interests of workers but was ready to defend Governor Ayo Fayose’s alleged failure to pay their entitlements.

    Olatunbosun said: “It is common knowledge that a section of the Labour movement has compromised their office in the protection of workers’ interest. But Fayose should not hide under the arrest of the Commissioner for Finance, Toyin Ojo and the Accountant General, Yemisi Owolabi, for non-payment of salary.

    “Ojo is not a signatory to any salary account; there are two other alternate signatories who include the Director of Funds Management.

    “Ekiti people and workers in particular should also note that when the Accountant General was on leave for about three weeks recently, the financial transactions of the state were going on unhindered.

    “Therefore, contrary to TUC’s claim, there is no reason the arrest of the two state officials should be an excuse for non-payment of salaries by the governor, which of course, he has not been paying before their arrest.

    “Fayose has received several billions of naira in the form of bailout and Paris Club refund but has refused to pay workers’ salaries for five months: local government workers for eight months’ and pensioners’ 13 months’ allowance arrears. These include his refusal to pay the severance package of former political office holders after the funds for these purposes were captured in tranches of bailout and Paris Club refund.”

  • Benue declares state of emergency on workers’ salary

    Benue declares state of emergency on workers’ salary

    Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has suspended execution of projects and declared  a state of emergency on payment of salary.

    He said the state did not mismanage bailout funds and London-Paris Club refunds.

    He said as a leader, he was greatly pained that his workers were owed salary arrears .

    Ortom, who spoke yesterday in Abuja, said one of the reasons for the difficulties facing his administration was the huge wage bill he inherited from the immediate past government.

    He said the upward review of workers’ salaries by his predecessor contributed hugely to the fund challenge facing the Civil Service State.

    He said efforts were being intensified to address the salary challenge as soon as possible.

    Ortom said: “Ideally, wage bill should not take more than 30 per cent of your allocation, but today, you pay more than 100 per cent because you often forced to borrow. We applied 80 per cent of the last Paris club refund despite the fact that the President said we should apply at least 50 per cent. But because of our peculiar challenge, we did 80 per cent yet it was not enough.

    “Because of this, all my projects are suspended. We have declared a state of emergency on payment of salary by making it a priority.

      “We have challenges and our people must understand this, Nigeria is passing through some difficulties, especially financing and funding the economy of this country. The times are difficult, for instance, in my state, just like many states, I cannot even pay salaries of my workers as and when due.”

    Ortom said although he accepted responsibility as a leader, he would do everything to clear the salary arrears.

    He added: “It is painful but this is something I am responsible for but as a leader, I take responsibility because I am the governor today but I’m looking for everything possible under the sun to surmount this. This is because the economy of my state is being driven by the civil service.

    “So, when salary is not paid, an average person in Benue state is affected and that is why we are open to suggestions from everyone on how to surmount the challenge. I say this because when I came in, I inherited N69b arrears in salaries, pensions and gratuities.

    “The Federal government did intervene by giving us a loan, which is the bailout fund of N28b, we appropriated it very well and because of the screening approach we adopted, out of N12.5b that was allocated to the state service, we are able to save N1.6b which we injected back in to the treasury.

    “At the local government level, we adopted a screening method that was able to block leakages and loopholes and that enabled us to remove paddings and also led to the recovery of another N1.4b out of N15.5b that we received.”

    The governor denied misappropriation of bailout funds and London-Paris Club refunds.

    He said: “When I hear people complaining that we misappropriate our bailout fund, I say they are not fair to me. Whoever is interested should go to our books and check, we are transparent and anti-corruption agencies are free to come and check our accounts.

    “I challenge anyone who doubts us to go to our books and we are ready to make it available. No single kobo was diverted from the bailout fund. We are accountable.

    “Why I am having arrears of six months at state level and nine months at local government is because of the shortfall. When I came in, I inherited a wage bill of N8.2b, this excluded teacher’s minimum wage.

    “When we came in, we decided that teachers should not be on a different salary different from other civil servants, so we decided that they too should be paid minimum wage, so the wage bill went to N8.5b.

    “Meanwhile what we have been getting from state level from Federation Account on wage bill is about N6b, that means a shortfall of  over N1.8b monthly and this made us to adopt a different approach where biometrics of workers were captured which led us to a modified table payment method.

    “This has led us to cite ghost workers, and other leakages and this has led to a reduction of the wage bill to N7.8b . All these past years, we were paying salaries amounting to N8.5b with allocation of N6b and shortfall of N1.8b every month.

    “That is where we are now, but government must continue to run, there are security issues, apparatus of government must continue to run, natural disasters, like the flooding that just occurred that must be taken care of and so on. The fact that people are bringing support is not in doubt but there are some certain things government must do and critical things that must be undertaken.

    On how the state is addressing the recent flooding that ravaged 21 local government areas, Ortom said proactive measures are being taken while assuring that no one would be left unattended to

    He said: “When the report of the diversion of relief material got to me, we immediately directed the removal of the Camp Commandant of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) at the International Market. He is currently under investigation.

    “I foresaw this and what I did was to set up a high-powered committee headed by the deputy governor and as soon as the report got to us, we decided that he should be relieved and replaced.

    “The details of the diversion are yet to get to me but I must emphasize that there is no room for such behaviors. For now, we have not heard of any further diversion.”

  • Kwara monarchs forfeit three months’ salary

    Kwara State government yesterday announced the forfeiture of three months’ salary of two traditional rulers in Oke-Ero Local Government.

    The government banned the monarchs from travelling out of their domains during the period.

    They are the Alofa of Ilofa, Oba Samuel Dada and the Olota of Odo Owa, Oba Toba Adimula.

    The government sanctioned the traditional rulers for the clash in the communities.

    Residents of Ilofa and Odo Owa communities engaged in a clash in May.

    Addressing reporters in Ilorin after the Executive Council meeting, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Haruna Muhammad, said the decision formed part of the consideration of the White Paper on Judicial Commission of Enquiry on Ilofa/Odo Owa communal clash.

    He added that the monarchs should not travel outside their domains without permission of the chairman, Transition Implementation Committee (TIC) of the local government.

    Muhammad said the rulers would not attend traditional council meeting, nor attend any official or government function until expiration of the three months.

    The government said the common central market in the communities would be used by the public only for buying and selling, and not for cultural or traditional activities.

    Information Commissioner Mallam Tunde Ajeigbe said the government had begun prosecution of those identified to have been involved in the communal clash, adding that the Executive Council had also directed the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) to write the police commissioner to tighten security in the communities in order to ensure peace and order.

    He said the police boss had been directed to mop up illegal arms, to prevent violence.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Communication, Dr. Muideen Akorede, announced the appointment of a new Head of Service (HOS), Mrs. Susan Dupe Oluwole, to take over from the former HOS, Hajia Sarah Omar.

  • Bail-out/Paris club refund: 10 salary defaulting states

    Bail-out/Paris club refund: 10 salary defaulting states

    TEN states have misspent the bailout funds and the Paris Club refund, according to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)  and are owing salaries of workers.

    The states are as follows:

    Imo

    Paying workers’ salaries in percentage and has not declared utilisation of the bailout fund and Paris Club refund.

    Paid 40 percent pension to their pensioners without their consent and provided a form for them to sign under duress.

    Bayelsa

    Owing between five to 10 months arrears.

    Ondo is owing between four and six,

    Ekiti (five to eight),

    Benue (five to eight)

    Kogi Worst case scenario.

    Three categories of workers in Kogi ; 40 per cent that are being paid up to date: 25 per cent that has not been paid between eight and 16 months and another 25 per cent that has not been paid between eight and 21 months.

     Osun

    Paying in percentage, but is up to date.

    Ebonyi,

    Unilaterally, without discussion with the union tried to reduce the salaries by certain percentage and have also not made available records of utilisation of the Paris Club refund.

     

    Zamfara

    Only state that has not implemented the minimum wage and all attempt (including agreements they have signed) to get them to make available records of utilisation of those funds have failed.

    Abia which has a problem with the parastatals.

    NLC President Ayuba Wabba, who spoke at the National Executive Council meeting of the Non Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) in Abuja, said six of the 10 states were in a terrible situation, pointing out that the congress had directed all states chapters whose members are owed more than three months salaries to declare an industrial action

    The NLC President ssaid:  “As I speak to you, both Zamfara and Benue are on strike and I am aware that Kogi has issued a notice, which is in conformity with the decision we took at our last NEC meeting that any state with liability of more than three months should start an action and we will be there to support them.”

  • Governors shouldn’t earn same salary, says Masari

    Governors shouldn’t earn same salary, says Masari

    If Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State has his way,  governors should not be earning the same salary.

    The governor says this is because while some states have the financial capacity to pay big, those with smaller income  cannot afford to compete paying big salaries.

    He spoke in an interview in Katsina.

    Drawing a comparison between his state and Lagos State, Masari, a former House of Representatives Speaker said:  “I, as a governor, I should not be earning the same thing as the governor of Lagos because his  revenue base is different from mine.

    “The revenue base in Kano is higher than mine. These are the areas we really need to look at and address.”

    The governor expressed support for devolution of power to the states but claimed he does not understand what restructuring, as being advocated by some Nigerians, means.

    He said: “I believe strongly in devolution not to the extent of weakening the central government because here, we need the central government so that it can carry the nation forward to a greater height, because a weak central government can bring the nation down.

    “But at the same time, I do not see the rationale of the federal government concerning itself with primary and secondary education. These are the responsibilities of local governments and states.

    “I do not see the business of the federal government in constructing boreholes, primary healthcare centres, fixing the salaries for my councillors here, fixing the same salary with Lagos.

    “I believe in devolution, my friend, but restructuring, I don’t know what it means.”

     

    • Read the full interview on page 37.
  • Ondo workers reject modulated salary

    Ondo workers reject modulated salary

    Labour unions in Ondo State have kicked against the state government’s plan to pay fractional parts of their outstanding salaries and pensions from the second tranche of the Paris Club fund.

    Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), in July, confirmed the receipt of N7.6 billion by the state as part of the Paris Club refund.

    The governor pledged not to spend the money until a meeting was held with labour leaders on the modality for payment.

    At a recent meeting with the labour unions, he hinted that only 75 per cent of the amount received would be expended on the payment of salary arrears while the balance would be for capital projects.

    Akeredolu inherited six months’ salary arrears – from August 2016 to last January – from the immediate past administration of Dr Olusegun Mimiko, when he assumed office in February.

    He had settled last August salary with five months still outstanding.

    At the meeting with labour leaders, Akeredolu said the remaining fund in government coffers, after some deductions, such as the local government share and 25 per cent of the amount, would not be enough to pay the September salary.

    The governor suggested that workers at all grade levels be paid 80 per cent of their salary for last September.

    But the offer of modulated salary payment was rejected by the labour leaders, who pleaded that the governor should source for fund to pay the balance of one full month salary to all categories of workers.

    It was learnt that when the governor objected to the suggestion of workers to look for another source to complete the amount needed for the payment of last September salary, estimated at N500 million, the labour leaders insisted that rather than accept modulated payment, the government should make 100 per cent payment to the number of workers the money could pay.

    The labour unions, under the auspices of Nigeria   Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), expressed surprise when the state’s Accountant General reportedly told them that his office had computed 80 per cent salary to all workers, in line with the governor’s directive.

    In a letter to the governor labour leaders in the state – Mrs Bose Daramola, Mr Sola Ekundayo and Mr Sunday Adeleye – the labour unions demanded a full payment of the last September arrears.

    They urged the government to device whatever means possible to pay the salary arrears without delay.

    They said: “Modulated payment or fractional payment in whatever form is unacceptable to Ondo State public servants and pensioners.

    “It is mandatory that the state government should look inward to augment and pay the September 2016 salary in full to all workers and pensioners in the state.”

  • ‘Benue needs N40b to clear salary arrears’

    Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has said his administration needs N40 billion to clear backlog of salary.

    Ortom, in a statement yesterday by his media aide, Tahav Agerzuz, denied owing workers up to 10 months at a stretch, saying he had not breached his agreement with labour leaders concerning the mode of salary payment.

    According to him, it is the accumulation of the unpaid months that gave the impression of 10 months at a stretch.

    The governor regretted that the N8.2 billion inherited wage bill compounded the financial situation, saying his administration had, however, reduced the wage bill to N7.8 billion.

    He added that the recovery of looted funds will address challenges of unpaid salaries.

    According to him, N107 billion was looted from the government’s coffers and one of the persons indicted refunded N370 million.

    He added that the diverted N4.5 billion bond was recovered and channelled to its original purpose.

    “I have kept my agreement with labour leaders, that as a result of insufficient funds, the federal allocation of two months would be combined to pay one-month complete salary for workers,” Ortom said.

  • Gombe teachers protest salary payment

    TEACHERS in Gombe State have protested the continuous handling of their welfare by the local government authorities, saying they do not want a repeat of past experiences. Dauda Usman, Chairman Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Gombe State stated this in his office after a protest rally to the office of the Head of Service.

    The NUT Chairman said the Kogi State example and their 1994 experience in the defunct Bauchi State were enough eye-openers for them, hence the prtest. To this end, he said they would rather prefer to have their salaries and welfare issues be transferred to the state government or paid directly.

    Earlier during the rally, the Gombe branch of NUT in a speech of the National President read before the state Head of Service threw their weight behind the call for local government autonomy.

    They however said their concern was the salary of primary school teachers as the poor handling of this stratum of education has an overall effect on quality and standard. The state Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Haruna Kamara said the NLC would do everything in its power to defend the integrity of teachers whom he described as the pivot of development Responding, Gombe State Head of Service, Dr. Daniel Mohammed Musa acknowledge the role of teachers as foundational, insisting that nothing survives without a foundation. He said promised to present their request before the governor and assured them that they would get their entitlements as at when due.