Workers yesterday grumbled in some parts of the country over the inability of their out-going governors to pay arrears of salaries owed them, lamenting that the situation had compounded their problems.
In Benue and Plateau States, the workers who celebrated the May Day said that Governors Gabriel Suswam and David Jang respectively owed them six months arrears of salaries while their counterparts in Enugu regretted that Sullivan Chime failed to pay retired teachers gratuities throughout his eight years in office.
The Enugu workers said that, altogether, primary school teachers were being owed 13 years arrears of gratuities from 2003.
They also said that apart from teachers, Chime was owing the staff of Water Corporation, Daily Star newspapers as well as ENTRACO workers among others several months of unpaid salaries and pensions. In Bauchi, the TUC and the Association of Seniour Civil Servants also decried non-payment teachers salaries and asked the government to address issues of promotion of other civil servants which was overdue.
In Kogi, the civil servants lamented over what they described as ‘’cut’’ in their salaries and asked Governor Idris Wada to review the oppressive system.
However, in all these states, only Governor, Suswam of Benue promised to pay all the arrears of salaries before handing over power to his successor, Dr Samuel Ortom on May 29.
Plateau workers lament non-payment of six months salaries:
The May Day was celebrated in low key in the state due to non-payment of six months salaries even as workers lamented over their plight saying that there was nothing to celebrate. Despite the situation, the Plateau State government, however, felicitated with workers on the occasion.
The Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Jubrin Bancir lamented that their future had been “destroyed by a few people who saw the workers as enemies that should be left to survive under harsh conditions of service.”
Bancir appealed to the incoming administration of Simon Lalong to look into their plight and alleviate their sufferings by ensuring regular payment of salaries and emoluments as well as the outstanding arrears of minimum wage and promotion of staff.
“Our members have remained unshaken even in the face of deprivation by government; we endured poverty in the midst of plenty; we did not allow the pains to translate into violence as the government suppressed our reactions.
“We kept faith with democracy over the years for the unity of our great country Nigeria, unfortunately the Jang administration took advantage of this humility to punish us.
“Today we are supposed to be very happy but because of the numerous things on the ground like non payment of staff salaries, lack of promotions; the workers in Plateau are denied this opportunity.”
Gov. Suswam promises to pay backlog of workers’ salaries before May 29
Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State has promised to pay all outstanding salaries owed workers in the state before the May 29, terminal date of his administration.
Suswam made the pledge yesterday while addressing workers at the May Day Workers’ rally held in Makurdi the state capital, which was poorly attended.
Represented by the state Head of Service, Mr. Terna Ahua, Suswam acknowledged the patience of the state’s its workforce over the delay in the payment of their salaries, adding that efforts were in top gear to ensure that the backlog was cleared.
“The government is making concerted efforts to ensure that outstanding salaries owed all categories of workers are paid.” Suswam said, noting that under his administration, workers in the state enjoyed series of salary increments.
He blamed the current turn of events on the current global economic downturn which he said had created an impediment to the timely payment of salaries which his administration was known for.
Kogi NLC appeals to Wada over 40% salary cut
Civil Servants in Kogi State yesterday appealed to Governor Idris Wada to reconsider his stand over 40 percent salary pay cut to ensure industrial peace.
The state Chairman of the NLC, Comrade Johnson Edoka Onu who spoke in Lokoja while addressing the workers at the May Day rally said the salary cut if continued would spell doom for the state government.
The state government had earlier in the week announced its decision to slash workers salary by 40 percent giving the dwindling nature of the federal allocations to the state as reason for the action.
Onu said the labour union decided to ignore the normal march past activities to protest government’s decision to slash salaries of other workers from Grade Level Seven and above, adding that the development had “demoralised” them.
He also urged the state government to as matter of urgency, overhaul the state Pensions Board. “There are many unresolved issues which includes, but not limited to harmonisation and payment of pensions and gratuity.
“While we commend the government for the prompt payment of monthly pension to our retired colleagues, delay in payment of gratuities have remained worrisome.
To this effect, we wish to inform the government that the monthly cash release to the state Pension Board is not properly utilised, as gratuities are paid to retirees on who you know basis.
Many of our colleagues who retired over four years ago have not received one Naira from the state government.”
Gov Dickson slashes Bayelsa workers’ PAYE tax by 20%
GOVERNOR Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, yesterday in Yenagoa announced the reduction of the Pay As You Earn, PAYE, tax by civil servants in the state by 20 percent.
Dickson, who spoke during this year’s Workers Day celebrations at the Peace Park in Yenagoa, said the reduction which will be effective from June, would be implemented across board.
He also donated two official cars to TUC and NLC chairmen in the state and N10 million to affiliate unions who took part in the event, said the slash in PAYE was in appreciation of workers support to the present administration.
He maintained that at a time when most state were finding it difficult pay salaries, the state government had been meeting its obligations in terms of prompt payment of salaries and other welfare packages, and urged civil servants in the state not to allow themselves to be used by opposition politicians against the government.
“Labour movement is a not an opposition to government. Those who want to play opposition politics or want to advance any political agenda, which is legitimate, should do it on the platform of the opposition parties and not through labour or civil servants because they are part of government.
“Even within this short difficult period in terms of our finances in this country we have not failed to honour our workers with prompt payment of salaries.
“This is a people’s government, for the first time our parents who are 70 years and above get allowance of N5,000 every month.
We pay NECO, JAMB and WAEC fees for all children who enroll in Bayelsa state every year,” Dickson said.
The Vice Chairman of the NLC in the state, Williams Oweimo, who spoke on behalf of the organized labour, enumerated the challenges of civil servants in the state to include, non-payment of arrears of minimum wage, non-promotion since 2014, non-implementation of promotion arrears, shortage of man power in the state civil service, high deduction under the Personal Income Tax Act, PITA, and non-payment of gratuities to retirees, among others.
I’ll set up anti-graft agency in Ebonyi— Umahi
EBONYI State Deputy Governor and governor- elect, Mr Dave Umahi yesterday said that his administration would set up anti-graft agencies to fight corruption and boost the economy of the state.
According to him, when corrupt practices are eliminated from governance, the state would have sufficient funds to provide essential services for the people.
Umahi who stated this during May Day Celebration at the Abakaliki Township stadium insisted that some toes would be stepped on as the incoming administration worked towards achieving a corruption-free and stable economy for the betterment of the people.
Umahi who represented the state Governor, Chief Martin Elechi assured the workers that the era of victimization and intimidation would be a thing of the past as he would sit with labour leaders after assumption of office to work out how the state would be governed with them, noting that his target was to boost the economic fortunes of the state with special focus on agriculture.
May-Day:Gov Ahmed urges NLC to shun divisive tendencies
The governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed in his May Day message yesterday urged workers to shun divisive tendencies in order to move the nation forward.
Ahmed therefore urged the losers of the NLC March election to emulate President Goodluck Jonathan’s sportsmanship spirit in congratulating the President-elect, Gen Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) ahead of his declaration as the winner of the March 28 Presidential elections.
Represented by the Head of Service, Alhaji Dabarako Mohammed, Ahmed, however, complained that the dwindling monthly allocations from the federation account had put states in the country in a tight financial corner.
May Day: Fashola urges labour unions to end dispute
..As unions demand end to LASU crisis
The Lagos State chapters of both the NLC and Trade Union Congress, TUC raised concern over the continued closure of the Lagos State University, LASU, as a result of the acrimony between the staff and institution’s management, urging the state governor to resolve the issue before May 29, 2015 hand over date.
They spoke at the Worker’s Day celebration held at the Onikan Stadium, Lagos which was also attended by the representatives of the NLC including Solomon Adenekan, the state Head of Service, Mrs. Folashade Jaji among others.
The Chairman of the Lagos State Chapter of NLC, Mr. Idowu Adelakun and his TUC counterpart, Mr. Akeem Kazeem, had earlier, lamented that the issue rocking Lagos State University, LASU was worrisome and already affecting its development.
However, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, urged members of the NLC to resolve the dispute which has brought factionalism into the union through a new and concerted approach to labour relations in the country.
Fashola, while urging labour unions to refrain from internal fighting and forge one united force, lamented that the division in the union would affect their chances of resolving the challenges facing the labour in the country even “though, the problem facing labour is not peculiar to Nigeria alone.”
He said that what differentiated “each country is the progress made by the government.”
According to him, “We have all seen the All Progressives Congress, APC but what happened in the APC was that the leaders of the party sacrificed and they all put the nation before their personal interest and their previous parties- ACN, CPC, ANPP, APGA.(Vanguard)
Tina Okunmwendia liked this on Facebook.
Tina Okunmwendia liked this on Facebook.