Unpaid salaries: Bayelsa workers turn to begging for survival

Some workers in public and civil service in Bayelsa State have turned to begging to survive the hard economic realities in the state.

It was observed that some workers, in a bid to cope with the harsh economic condition foisted on them by unpaid salaries, had devised different means to beg in order to fulfil their financial obligations.

The PUNCH learnt that the civil and public servants being owed about five months’ salaries by the Governor Seriake Dickson-led administration could no longer meet their personal and family obligations.

Many of them were said to be unable to pay their bills, children’s school fees and service their accommodation expenses.

Due to their inability to pay transportation fares, most of them could no longer attend to go to their work places and church activities while persons who managed to go end up begging for fares to go back home.

Some of them said they were dying of hunger, adding that they no longer went to work because of the lack of money for transport and feeding.

They recalled that Dickson had promised to promptly pay salaries of workers, but wondered why the governor, who was no longer executing projects, could not pay workers.

One of them, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, said he stopped going to work because the government had not paid him since November 2015.

The source, who is a manager in the government owned Izon Ibe Community Bank, confessed, “I work in the state-owned micro-finance bank, but since November, I have not been paid. I can’t go to work because I need to look for something to do to feed my family. It has been very tough. Surviving in Bayelsa State has become so difficult.

“I wonder why an oil-producing state like Bayelsa cannot pay salaries. We learnt that states like Ebonyi and Taraba, with one of the least allocations, still pay salaries. But here, we are working in an oil-producing state without salaries.”

Also, two ladies working for the state government were sighted on Imgbi Road, on Wednesday, begging passers-by for N100 to go home after attending a morning church programme in the area.

Though many people turned them down, they leapt up in joy when eventually a Good Samaritan gave the duo N500 to go home.

It was, however, learnt that the governor recently approved the payment of a month’s salary for the civil servants, but most of them had no balance left in the accounts after their banks deducted arrears of unpaid loans.

A food vendor, who identified herself simply as Emilia,  said the hardship had affected her so much that most of her customers no longer patronised her.

She said, “Before, my small shop used to bubble with patronage. I would finish selling before 9pm every day.

“But everything has changed. I have reduced the quantity I cook, yet I can’t finish selling my food even up to 12am. I carry them home. I am even considering closing my shop.”

However, most residents have blamed the development on the leadership style of Dickson, saying he stifled the economy on assuming office as the governor for the second term.

An angry resident, identified simply as Emmanuel, wondered why the government was claiming that the state is poor when Dickson said he opened a dedicated account “where he saved for the rainy day.”

“The rain is now falling. People expected the governor to start using the savings of the state in paying salaries and rejuvenating the economy. Bayelsa is not supposed to be suffering. It is supposed to be a model state.”

Commenting on the situation, the Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, Bayelsa State, Mr. Ndiomu George-Diepre, said the Congress was disenchanted with the development.

Though he appreciated the economic situation in the country, he, however, appealed to Dickson to pay the workers so that they could  meet their personal and family obligations.

George-Diepre said, “The Congress as usual is still on the struggle. Right now,  we are on the air, calling on the government to pay the unpaid salaries.

“While we understand the economic situation in the country and how it also affects the states, we are still asking that the government should pay all the outstanding salaries of workers, particularly the pensioners and of course, the local government workers.

“There are also a lot of scams and ghost workers suspected in those areas, and the governor is saying he wants to do verification  and after that they will pay. But the Labour is saying that they should be paid because they have suffered for a long time.”

However, a top official in the Governor’s office said Bayelsa State was not the only state that was owing salaries, rationalising that some states were owing between seven and eight months.

The official,  who did not want his name mentioned, said, “So, why is Bayelsa State so peculiar that journalists want to do a report on it?

“The Federal Government is owing. You heard the Secretary to the Government of the Federation saying the FG is owing N6bn every month. Is that not scandalous for a nation like Nigeria? Is it not more news worthy than workers resorting to begging? Check the fact, we are owing just three months.”

Unpaid salaries: Bayelsa workers turn to begging for survival

NDDC owes 8,000 contractors N400 billion – Official

The acting Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Ibim Semenitari, said the biggest challenge she had upon assumption of office “was the fact that we are owing so many people.”

Ms. Semenitari disclosed this on Sunday when she featured on the News Agency of Nigeria Forum in Abuja.

She said the commission owed more than 8,600 contractors between N400 billion and N450 billion when she assumed office, but about 600 of them were paid by her administration.

She said that the paucity of funds coupled with the public perception of the commission became sources of concern for the management of NDDC.

She, however, said that the commission had to deal with both challenges and reinvigorate the workforce to be able to get to its present state.

“That’s a lot of money; so the first challenge was you have so many contracts and you have so much debt – so there was a big hole right there.

“The second was the perception problem. The commission was perceived rightly or wrongly as a place you just come, take your own share and go; it was also perceived to be a corrupt place.

“And we also had to deal with the need to professionalise the workforce basically in terms of how you reposition the people.

“And also reinvigorate the workforce so that people will have a sense of freshness and a sense of new challenges because we can get people back on track.’’

According to Ms. Sementari, better days will come for the commission by the time its funding partners pay up the amount they are owing.

She said that with payment of the outstanding monies, the projects the commission was handling would become visible.

She added that the late passage of the budget of the commission had hampered proper planning and proper management of the commission.

“By law, we are funded with three per cent from oil companies; we are funded from the ecological fund and then we are also funded from the amount of money accruable to the state.

“We had a situation where we were being owed by all of our funding partners.

“The Federal Government, who is our owner, was owing us about N800 billion.

“Whereas the law provides for specific kinds of funding for the commission, unfortunately the commission had not been receiving its own funds as at when due; so this was one of the challenges that I had to deal with.

“And then of course perhaps the last and the critical one is the fact of late budgets. The NDDC budget is always late and that doesn’t help for planning.

“It comes so late in the year, indeed I hear sometimes as late as October, by which time the year is ending.

“And that’s because the NDDC budget by the budget practice doesn’t go along with all the other budgets.

“For that reason the budget process of the NDDC begins after and so terminates ridiculously late in the year, by which time of course by planning and everything make us almost ridiculous and impossible for the management to function within the appropriation act.’’

She, however, called for speedy passage of the budget of the commission to ensure smooth operation within a given financial year.

The NDDC boss also said the commission spent N9.2 billion on execution of projects between January and March, 2016.

 “As at Jan. 1 2016, our balance of account was N9.9 billion. And then within this period under review that is – January to March- for that first quarter, we received N6.8 billion from the Federal Government and N32 billion from oil companies, so that total inflow as at March was about N48. 9billion.“These are the expenses we have made in the course of the period.

“The recurrent payment including salary and allowances and other expenditure were stood at N7 billion and payment for projects stood at N9.2 billion.

“There was no accusation of any capital fixed asset within the period under review.

“So, the total of expenditure within the period under review is N16.3 billion.”

She said the cash balance as at March 25, 2016 was N32. 26 billion.

“This means that when I make payment this week or next week, that has taken to the second quarter.’’

The acting managing director said before the commission paid any contractor, it processed the interim payment certificate.

“The way we pay, we process the interim payment certificate.

“And then the number of interim payment certificates that have processed for payment is 153 but we have worked more (than) these numbers.

“Those that are still in the process, action is being taken, some of them have treated 493 interim payment certificates.’’

Ms. Semenitari said the commission paid 642 out of the 8600 contractors during the period under review.

“Basically, what I am saying is that I have addressed over 600 contractors. In other word, 600 projects have treated during the period under review.

“We have been able to complete about 28 projects in this period.”

(NAN)

NDDC owes 8,000 contractors N400 billion – Official

Half Salaries: Stop misleading the Public over payment of Salaries, Group cautions Aregbesola

…….Says Osun still owes Six (6) months salaries, Pension due arrears

An Osun State based Civil Society Organization (CSO), the Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEOS) has cautioned the State governor, Mr. Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola to stop misleading the general public over the payment of half salaries and pension due to the workers and retirees alike in the State, declaring that the State Government were still owing the workers and retirees for period of six(6) months now.

Aregbesola

The group insisted that Mr. Aregbesola led-State government was economical with the truth over its recent claimed that he has been met with its financial obligation despite the low income earning of the state as a result of gargantuan debt obtained by the present administration in the State, insisting that the State Government was

unable to meet its financial obligation to workers and retires in the State for the period of six months now, as a result of irresponsible debt which Mr. Aregbesola plunged the State into presently.

Rising from the emergency meeting of the group in Osogbo on Sunday (yesterday) to review the State of the affairs of Osun State in the last one month, the CSCEOS in a statement signed by its Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi, Alimi Sulaiman, which was made available to newsmen, condemned all the anti-worker policies of the Aregbesola led present administration in the State, regretting the emergency of Mr. Aregbesola as the State governor in the last five and half (51/2) years.

The Statement analyzed that since July 2015, Mr. Aregbesola has been paying the workers and retirees alike the half salaries and pension due with discrepancies in the payment, advising Aregbesola and his co-travelers to imbibe the spirit of this Easter season by speaking the truth on the governance of this State, saying that only financial truth could save the state from brick of financial collapse.

It maintained that there was no iota of truth in the claim of the State government that it has fulfilled its financial obligations to workers despite the low allocations to the State from Federation Allocation as result of irresponsive debt, adding that since 2012, the State government were yet to pay the gratitude of retirees till date  insisting that Aregbesola should stop deceiving the public on the subject matter as ongoing propaganda could not help the State

government from out of the present financial mess.

The CSCEOS therefore advised the good people, particularly, the entire workforce and retirees in the State to stand up and fight for their labour rights as stipulated in the labour law of the land, by sending a signal to Mr. Aregbesola to stop half salaries and pension due payment and balance of their six months salaries arrears should be paid, alleging that some workers’ name have been removed from the salaries payment voucher on the directive of Aregbesola to his Financial Consultant firm popularly called “Charms” .

Rights activist who urged the good people of the State at home and abroad to unite against the present administration of Aregbesola which he described as source of sorrow, tear and hunger for the people of the State, urging the people of the State to use the period of this death and resurrection of the Jesus Christ to pray fervently to the Almighty God to rescue the State from the hands of present tormentors led by Mr. Aregbesola.

According to the group, “Osun State governor, Mr. Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola has been economical with the truth on the payment of salaries and pension due to workers and retirees alike in the State and as well as state of finance of the State which result we are experiencing today. Lets open the can of worm to the public through this medium and put the records straight, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola are still owing workers and retirees alike in the State for period of

six(6) months respectively with a lot of short payment in the salaries in question. This development is contrary to Mr. Rauf Aregbesola’s claimed before the public that the State under his watch has been meet with its obligation to the workers and retirees despite the present financial challenges. People should ask Aregbesola why he is nicked

name ’Baba Afusa means father of half salaries’. Mr. Aregbesola should not hesitate to explain to the whole world why Osun State is where we are today?. People should also ask Aregbesola why he directed his financial consultant firm ‘Charms’ from removing some workers’ names from the payment voucher.

”We will also like to put this before the public because this is common sense calculation. Mr. Rauf Aregbesola has commenced the payment of half salaries to workers and retirees in the State from July 2015 to December 2015 and we are now in March ending of 2016 where Aregbesola just announced the payment of January half payment

salaries and retirees have not been paid half pension due of January as being claimed by Aregbesola in the section of the media recently. Rauf Aregbesola and his co-travelers should imbibe the spirit of the Easter season by saying the truth as only truth can save Osun State from the present financial mess”.

Half Salaries: Stop misleading the Public over payment of Salaries, Group cautions Aregbesola

Civil servants with BVN to receive salaries in Rivers State - Wike

Only civil servants with confirmed Bank Verification Numbers, BVN, will henceforth receive salaries in Rivers State, Governor Nyesom Wike has announced.

Nyesom Wike

He said the move would allow the government determine the actual number of staff employed by the state.

Speaking at the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Thursday, when the governing council of the Rivers State Science and Technology visited him, Mr. Wike said the monthly wage bill of the state government stood at N7 billion while monthly pension bill stood at N1.4 billion.

“This month, if you don’t submit your BVN and physically identify yourself, you will not be paid. If only 20 staff have their BVN verified physically, they will be the only staff to be paid,” the governor said, according to a statement by his spokesperson, Simeon Nwakaudu.

“With a wage and pension bill of N8.4billion monthly, the State Government is determined to stop all wastages.”

Mr. Wike also announced that the state government would no longer pay the salaries of primary and secondary school teachers of Demonstration Schools of the state university, RSUST, and other designated tertiary institutions where pupils and students pay school fees.

He said the state government had completed the payment of salary arrears of recalled lecturers sacked by the immediate past administration.

Also, Governor Wike approved the setting up of a College of Medicine and a Teaching Hospital at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology.

He said the government would support the establishment of the College of Medicine and Teaching Hospital for the RSUST as part of the pledge he made to the people of the state.

Earlier, the Pro-Chancellor of the RSUST, Iche Ndu, commended Mr. Wike for investing in the development of the university through development projects and programmes.

Civil servants with BVN to receive salaries in Rivers State - Wike

Construction workers protest non-payment of salaries, verbal sacking

Some former workers with a construction company on the Lagos Island, Deux Project, have protested against the non-payment of their salaries.

They added that the firm terminated their appointments through telephone calls.

The workers ─ Samuel Ajimuda, Murtala Yahaya, James Philip and Otolurin Taiwo ─ alleged that the company also invited riot policemen to chase them away to avoid paying them their entitlements.

 They threatened to take legal action against the firm if the situation was not addressed.Ajimuda, who is married with a child, said he could no longer feed his family, adding that his daughter had stopped going to school.

The 31-year-old, who claimed to have been working for Deux Project for four years, said he was on a salary of N29, 400 per month.

He said, “I have been working with the firm for the past four years. We discovered that although the company was paying its top staff well, it was not paying the junior workers and things were becoming hard for us.

“When we met with the human resources manager, he told us that the company would pay us in due time.

“But last December, we met with the chief financial officer that we needed money, even if it was half of our salary, to celebrate Christmas with our families. He, however, said the chairman told him that he had no money to pay us.”

He said upon resumption to work in January, they were surprised when the company announced a 50 per cent salary cut.

It was learnt that the company allegedly told the workers that they might not be paid their arrears due to the financial condition of the company.

Ajimuda said they were told that the arrears had been written off.

He said they decided to protest last Wednesday by turning off the company’s lighting system and blocking a part of the main road.

Taiwo, a carpenter, who had worked for six years, said some of the management staff appealed to them that they would receive a bank alert on their phones before that day ran out.

He said, “I was checking my phone for the alert, unfortunately, nothing came throughout that day.

“The following day, we returned to the company and saw riot policemen at the gate. They said we should wait outside.”

The management was said to have later paid the aggrieved workers one month of the arrears.

The company’s human resources manager was alleged to have called the workers on the telephone to tell them that their services would no longer be required.

“We told him it was only one month salary arrear that we were paid, and he said the chairman said when he had money, maybe he would pay the remaining arrears.

“We only want them to pay our money and entitlements,” Philip said.

Yahaya, who was the storekeeper before his dismissal, said he was owed only one month arrear because he had earlier joined another set of workers in 2015 to stage a protest.

He added that workers involved in the protest were sacked, but he was lucky to have been spared at the time.

“We are no longer interested in their job, let them pay us,” he said.

A Lagos-based lawyer, Spurgeon Ataene, who promised to write the company’s office on behalf of the former workers, said it was wrong for their appointment to be terminated verbally.

He said, “These men had been working on empty stomachs and they decided to stage a peaceful protest to get their salaries paid, but the company sent a team of policemen against them.

“Instead of paying their full salaries, the company quickly rushed and paid them just one month of their five to six months arrears and went ahead to verbally terminate their jobs.

“While we believe that every organisation has the power to hire and fire, it should be in accordance with labour laws. They don’t have the right to abuse and maltreat Nigerian workers. The Federal Government should investigate the company’s activities and sanction them appropriately.”

When contacted, the company’s Human Resources Manager, identified only as Tayo, said he was not authorised to comment. He promised to get in touch with the “right person”, but later declined to do so.

He said, “The person has also refused to talk and said I should not send his contact.”

Our correspondent, however, sent him a message on the incident, which he had yet to reply to as of the time of filing this report.

Construction workers protest non-payment of salaries, verbal sacking

Fayose apologises to teachers for underpayment

ADO-EKITI—Governor Ayodele Fayose yesterday apologised to primary school teachers in the state over the mix-up in the payment of their last month’s salary.

Fayose vows to lead opposition against APC

According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Idowu Adelusi, the governor said; “Even though the mix-up was from the State Accountant General’s office but as the state governor, he takes responsibility.

“I want to apologise for the inconsistency and problems encountered in crediting the accounts of some primary school teachers, it was after my broadcast few days back that I got a lot of text messages from some teachers that were affected.

“I sincerely want to apologise, I have gotten to the root of the matter, I have found out that there were mix-ups here and there, the accounts were credited and later withdrawn for carelessness in the accountant general’s office, for whatever it is I take responsibility, I apologise and want to assure you all the lapses will be corrected.

“My teachers at the primary school level, this money will be credited to your accounts between now and Wednesday unfailingly. My apologies.”

Fayose apologises to teachers for underpayment

Document: Cost of running National Assembly, Lawmakers Salaries

Judging from the document released by National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS) the controversial salaries and allowances of the Nigerian lawmakers are smaller compared to the rest of the world.

If go to by the remuneration approved by the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, a member of the House of Assembly has an annual take home of N 285,981,800.00 after $3,000 tax deduction.

The basic and annual allowances of Nigerian senator is pinned at N 681,884,400.

Comparing this with the rest of the world, Nigeria lawmakers remuneration is the lowest.

View the document below for a comprehensive breakdown.

 

Document: Cost of running National Assembly, Lawmakers Salaries

Workers Arears: Buhari gives 7-days deadline

Ministries, agencies to compile lists of unpaid employees

Labour leaders and workers are excited over a presidential directive that all arrears of salaries and allowances must  be paid.

President Buhari

The Presidency on Monday directed Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to compile the names of all public service employees who are being owed arrears of salaries and allowances within seven days so that they can be paid without further delay.

The September 14 circular came from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF). It immediately sent members of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) jumping for joy.

The names of those being owed are to be compiled within seven days for them to be paid “immediately”.

ASCSN Secretary-General Comrade Alade Bashir Lawal, who broke the news in a statement released in Abuja yesterday, praised President Muhammadu Buhari for bringing hope to thousands of public service employees who are being owed arrears of salaries and allowances for years.

The Presidency identified the outstanding benefits as: salary arrears, promotion arrears, 1st 28 days allowance on transfer from post, repatriation allowance, burial expenses, death benefits and mandatory training of  OHCSF in 2010.

The Presidency directed the MDAs to ensure that each unpaid entitlement is accurate, verifiable, with the name, designation, status (serving or retired) and amount due to each officer.

“The correct information should reach the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation on or before Monday September 21, 2015,” the circular stressed.

Lawal recalled that in letters written to the  President since his election and assumption of office, the union reminded him of the outstanding salaries and allowances and stressed the need for the government to pay up to boost the morale not only of the affected officers but also that of other teeming public service employees.

He expressed confidence that as soon as the lists are submitted to the Presidency, the lingering arrears of salaries and allowances would be paid “so as to put the ugly situation behind and move forward”.

The union warned of dire consequences, which may include trade union actions, if the MDAs played politics with the Presidential directive.

Workers Arears: Buhari gives 7-days deadline

FG to slash Federal lawmakers’ salaries

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

ABUJA—Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, Mr. Elias Mbam, disclosed yesterday that the Commission had started the process of trimming down the pay packages of the President, Senators, members of the House of Representatives, governors and all the elected public officials to reflect current economic realities.

Senate

Asked whether the parliamentarians would give a nod to the idea, the Chairman said it was a constitutional mandate, which no one should argue about.

He said: “We are here to brief the President on the activities of the commission, the challenges and the way forward.

“The President advised us to ensure that we use all legitimate means to ensure all public office holders take home remuneration as determined by the commission and also block all leakages.

“We have done a lot in informing the public on the true position of the remuneration packages. It is on our website; it is clearly written there and we have published these remuneration packages in many national dailies several times.

“We have also had interactions with the press at different fora.

“What we read on the pages of newspapers is not known to the commission because there is no member of the National Assembly, based on what we determined, who earns up to N1 million per month.

“Presently, we are reviewing the subsisting remuneration packages and it is going to reflect the socio-economic realities of today. We expect that before the end of next month, it will be ready.

“When I talk of packages, the responsibility of the commission is to determine the remuneration for political office holders, both elected and appointed, from the national level to the local government level.

“Of course, National Assembly members are elected. It will include them, it will include the judiciary, it will include the state legislature, executive and of course, the local government will be included.

“Recently, the oil price dropped. Many government agencies, the states and local governments have not been able to pay their salaries. These are some of the issues that made it necessarily to review it. It did not start with this administration; we started the review as far back as last year. It is not because of the present administration that we commenced it.

“They do not have a choice. We are guided by the constitution and we are going to be guided by such laws that are provided for in the constitution and the oath they swore to obey the laws of the country.”

Mbam, who recounted the challenges of the Commission to include insufficient funding, urged the authorities to amend the Act setting it up to grant its financial independence.

Asked when the new revenue sharing formula would be ready, the chairman said it was beyond his power to comment on.

He said: “One of the challenges is that the commission is not properly funded and we are saying that we expect that the commission should be one of the agencies of government that should have financial autonomy.

“The best way to do that is to include it as one of the agencies that will benefit from first line charge.

“The second is to give the commission the power of enforcement. They should review the Act establishing the commission so that it can have power of enforcement and sanctions on any of the defaulting MDAs.”

 

FG to slash Federal lawmakers’ salaries

Ekiti overpaid workers to refund excess salaries

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has set up a committee to review the outcome of the recent verification of workers on the state government’s payroll and fish out those being overpaid among others.

Fayose vows to lead opposition against APC

Such indicted public servants are to refund the excess fund and may be prosecuted as well.

The committee, to be headed by the Deputy Governor, Dr Olusola Kolapo, is also to compile the list of dead workers still on payroll, those not due for study leave but were granted and still being paid, and those who absconded from their duty posts among others.

According to a statement in Ado Ekiti on Sunday by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, the committee also has as members the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Modupe Alade; the Attorney General, Owoseni Ajayi; the Commissioner for Finance, Toyin Ojo and the Head of Service, Dr. Olugbenga Faseluka among others.

“The setting of the committee followed the presentation of the report of the review of the state biometric payroll system to members of the State Executive Council.

“According to the report, in the Teaching Service Commission for instance, the state lost N155.7m in two years, due to 1,154 staff collecting more money than their actual salaries,” the statement said.

Fayose, who frowned on the development, said his administration would spare nothing to block leakages and stop other official misconduct being perpetrated in the public service.

Ekiti overpaid workers to refund excess salaries

Governors who sleep without paying workers salaries irresponsible - Obiano

Anambra State Governor, Mr. Willie Obiano, on Wednesday described as irresponsible governors who “sleep” without paying the salaries of workers in their state.

Obiano stated this at the Jerome Udoji secretariat,  Awka, the state capital, during the 2015 civil service day celebration, where he reassured the state workers of regular salaries despite the prevailing economic difficulties.

The governor, who described the civil service as the cornerstone of his administration, said, “No responsible government goes to sleep when its workforce is having sleepless nights.”

He said in the past one year, his administration had demonstrated a great deal of sensitivity to the plight of workers. .

He added, “A few weeks after I was sworn in as your governor, we took bold steps to look into the difficulties workers were having in transporting themselves to Awka from various parts of the state.

“Consequently, we provided four buses to convey workers from Onitsha, Otuocha, Nnewi and Ekwulobia to and from Awka. We also donated three buses to NLC, NUC and JNC.

“Similarly, less than one year into my administration, we increased workers’ salaries by 15 per cent.

“I also assured you  that I would do more if our Internally Generated Revenue grows.  Interestingly, we increased salaries at a time when oil prices were crashing and governments were looking for bailouts.

“In spite of the prevailing difficulties, we have kept our promise to always pay your salaries regularly.”

Governors who sleep without paying workers salaries irresponsible - Obiano

Aregbesola replies judge over petition to impeach him

Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, has responded to the petition written against him by a serving judge in the State Judiciary, Justice Folahanmi Oloyede.

The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr. Najeem Salaam, said this in a statement made available to our correspondent in Osogbo on Wednesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Goke Butika.

Oloyede, in a petition to the House of Assembly, accused Aregbesola of financial  recklessness and asked the lawmakers to impeach the governor.

The Speaker, who said earlier that the Assembly had forwarded the petition to the governor for his response, said the lawmakers could not do anything until they received the governor’s response.

Following the receipt of Aregbesola’s defence, the Speaker asked the judge to prepare to appear before an investigative committee he had set up on the matter.

The Speaker said the Assembly was now ready to investigate the allegations, while assuring the people of the state that their investigation would be a thorough one.

The statement read in parts, “State of Osun House of Assembly has expressed its readiness to address the petition sent to it by a judge  of the State High Court, Justice Olamide Folahanmi Oloyede, having obtained the response of Governor Rauf Aregbesola on the matter.

“The  detailed response of the state helmsman was obtained on Tuesday, compelling the parliament to set machinery in motion on the investigation of allegation of financial hiccups  and her position for the preparation of impeachment article against the governor among other issues.

“The parliament would be fair and thorough in investigating  all the issues raised with a view to reaching a logical end that would give all parties concerned sense of justice without fear or favour.

“I have constituted an investigative committee that will look into the petition forwarded by Justice Oloyede, and I have given the committee mandate to interact with Justice Oloyede in person.

“Justice Oloyede  is in the best position to further shed light on her position as expressed. However, I assure all the parties concerned that the matter would be treated with fairness and sense of justice without fear or favour.”

Meanwhile, the  Coalition of Groups for Good Governance has berated the judge  for asking the Assembly to impeach  Aregbesola.

The Chairman of CGGG, Waheed Adediran, said this in a statement made available to our correspondent in Osogbo.

He said, “It is unambiguous that the petition forwarded to the State of Osun House of Assembly by Justice Folahanmi Oloyede is not known to law and not capable of initiating any form of impeachment process what so ever.

“In pursuant to section 188 (1) (2) and section 1 (1) of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, the petition in question is a mere letter that does not deserve any attention.”

The group also said  the governor was not guilty of financial recklessness leveled against him by the judge.

Adediran explained that the 50 per cent crash in the price of crude oil and crude oil theft during the regime of former President Goodluck Jonathan was responsible for the sharp reduction in revenue allocation to the state.

He said Aregbesola worked hard to raise the state’s internally generated revenue from N300,000,000 per month to over  N1.6 billion per month, adding that the governor had done so much to develop the state.

Adediran added that Osun State, which was second to the last on the allocation ladder, ironically, had the second largest workforce in the country.

The group urged public servants and other stakeholders in the state to support Aregbesola’s administration in its efforts to transform the state into an economically viable one.

Aregbesola replies judge over petition to impeach him

Aregbesola in fresh crisis as Osun workers reject half salaries

Fresh crisis appears brewing between labour unions and Osun State Government following the rejection of the 50 per cent of salaries paid by the government into workers’ accounts.

The workers had on Monday announced the suspension of the strike embarked upon since May 26 after signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the state government.

But the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in the state, Mr. Jacob Adekomi, while addressing journalists on Tuesday, said they were rejecting half payment of their salaries.

He said, “We are rejecting the payment of half salaries because that was not what we agreed on. All affiliate unions of the labour will meet later today to deliberate on the issue. But those that have not been paid at all can remain at home.”

Also, some local government workers told our correspondent around 2pm on Tuesday that they were yet to receive alert from their banks.

But the All Progressives Congress in the state has appealed to workers to show understanding with the government saying the balance of their salaries would be paid very soon.

The Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy of the APC in Osun State, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, who addressed journalists said the payment of 50 per cent of the salary was inadvertently done.

“The 50 percent was already programmed. That was done before the Memorandum of Understanding was signed with workers.

“Unfortunately it is a communication gap. There was no intention to pay the half salary and the payment will not stop at payment of 50 per cent. Government will pay all.

“We are appealing to the workers to show understanding with the government. Their salaries will be paid in full. It will be implemented soonest.”

The APC’s spokesperson had in a statement earlier issued, rallied workers support for the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, saying the workers should continue to support the governor in his efforts to transform the state.

He explained that the nonpayment of the salary was caused by corruption in the oil sector during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The statement partly read, “It was therefore, totally misplaced anger that was directed at Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for the crisis. Those who sponsored and propagated the misplaced anger did so out of envy that Aregbesola was raising Osun above their ignoble pedestal of impoverished ideas,” the party declared.

“Now that it is open secret that PDP government led by Goodluck Jonathan was the thief that stole the nation broke, it calls for greater understanding from both labour union and the workers to help the state address the aftermath of this PDP crime against our country.”

Aregbesola in fresh crisis as Osun workers reject half salaries

Governors can"t pay salary because of corruption - Saraki

Senate President Bukola Saraki on Monday attributed the inability of some state governors to meet their obligations to their workers and the entire citizens to the issue of corruption which, he said,  had assumed a worrisome development in the country.

Bukola Saraki

Saraki stated this when the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission,  Mr.Ekpo Nta, led top officials of his agency to pay him a courtesy visit.

The senate president lamented that the embarrassing level of corruption in the country had taken a dangerous dimension to the extent that the three tiers of government were finding it difficult to pay salaries and provide basic social infrastructure.

He said, “The 8th Senate has a position on zero tolerance for corruption. We want to make it a priority. For us,  we have realised that it is truly endangering the entire system. It is affecting our national development.

“The cost of corruption on our national life is beyond financial cost. You see in some states now that they are not paying salaries, it  had led to poor funding of the education and health sectors and it’s affecting cost of governance and failure of public institutions and infrastructure.”

“For the eight senate,  making the fight against corruption a priority is a must and we are committed to that. Our goal is to work with you to reduce significantly,  the level of corruption in this country.”

He pledged that the eight senate would work closely with the ICPC and other anti graft agencies to fight the scourge.

He said, “There are  things we ought to do that would help prevention especially among the professionals. Bankers who notice that the account of an Assistant Directors is running into billions of Naira should have a way of blowing the whistle. We have to be creative to bring everybody along.”

The ICPC boss said the  Act that established the agency, which was enacted in year 2000, was the first Act of parliament that addressed corruption directly and that the United Nations convention against corruption came four years later in 2004.

He noted that the issue of corruption in the country has always been there, not that it was impressed upon the country by the International Community.

Governors can"t pay salary because of corruption - Saraki

Unpaid Salaries: Buhari okays N804.7b lifeline for states

LAGOS —TO end the lingering and back-breaking burden of unpaid workers’ salaries in several states of the country, President Muhammadu Buhari has  approved a comprehensive relief package.

Sources said, yesterday, that President Buhari okayed a three-pronged relief package including sharing of fresh allocations, granting of soft loans and restructuring of states’ debt-servicing payments.

President Buhari

The packages are expected to go into effect this week as the President is said to have directed that release of the funds should be made urgently to assuage the plight of thousands of Nigerian workers in the federal and state governments.

The packages are:

About $2.1b (N413.7bn) will be shared in fresh allocation between the states and the federal government. The money is sourced from recent Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) proceeds to the federation account.

A Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)-packaged special intervention fund that will offer financing to the states, ranging from between N250bn and N300bn. This would be a soft loan that states could access to pay the backlog of salaries.

Implementing a debt relief programme proposed by the Debt Management Office, DMO, which will help states restructure their commercial loans currently put at more than N660bn, and extend the life span of such loans while reducing their debt-servicing expenditures.

Also, a total of N391 billion from the Excess Crude Account, ECA, will be shared among the three tiers of government, the Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, disclosed yesterday.

With the N413.7 billion LNG proceeds it means the three tiers of government will share a total of N804.7 billion.

By extending the commercial loans of the states, according to the third package, more funds would be made available to the state governments, which otherwise would have been claimed at source by the banks.

Vanguard gathered that the Federal Government has agreed to use its influence to guarantee the elongation of the loans for the benefit of the states.

Sources explained that this package, which was considered at the National Economic Council, NEC, last week, is designed specifically for workers, adding that President Buhari reviewed and approved the package in his bid to intervene and alleviate the sufferings of workers, some of whom have not been paid for over 10 months.

Contacted, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina confirmed the development, adding that the President is deeply concerned about the plight of the workers.

While inaugurating the NEC last week, President Buhari asked the council to, as a matter of priority, consider how to liquidate the unpaid salaries of workers across the country, a situation he observed has brought untold hardship to the workers.

While the N413bn LNG proceeds would be shared among the three tiers of government using the revenue allocation formula, the CBN will also make available the special intervention fund to states and then negotiate the terms with individual states.

At the NEC meeting, the relief measures were extensively discussed between the state governors and top officials of the Federal Government including the CBN governor, and the permanent secretaries from ministries of Finance and Petroleum Resources. Other agencies that were actively involved in the process include the DMO and officials from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, it was learned.

Currently, 12 of the 36 states of the federation are owing their workers more than N110 bn. The most affected states are Osun, Rivers, Oyo, Ekiti, Kwara, Kogi, Ondo, Plateau, Benue, and Bauchi.

However, sources said the Finance Ministry and the CBN may have pegged the amount needed to settle all the outstanding public workers salaries at about N250 billion. There are also workers in the federal government’s employ whose salaries have not been paid for months and their cases would be taken care of by the new package.

FG, states to share N391bn ECA fund

On the N391 billion ECA fund, Idris, who was at the Presidential Villa alongside the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Anastasia Daniel- Nwaobia to brief President Buhari on the state of affairs in the ministry, said the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) would meet to determine sharing formula.

Idris took over from Jonah Otunla after his appointment on June 25.

Speaking to State House Correspondents, he said what the new regime met on the ground was between the $1.6 to $1.7 billion which is equivalent to N391 billion.

“It is hovering between $1.6 and $1.7 billion, and that is what we are going to distribute among all the three tiers of government — federal, states and local governments based on the approved formula.”

Speaking on the outcome of their meeting with President Buhari, he said that the President advised on prudent management of scarce resources.

“The general message is clear. Mr. President had a clear direction, and we all have to fall in line; prudent management of resources and identify more alternative ways of generating revenue which we are set to do and to manage the meagre resources we found on the ground very efficiently and effectively for the betterment of the economy,” Idris said.

Addressing journalists earlier, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Finance, Nwaobia also revealed that the meeting with the President was to formally brief him on the state of the nation’s finances.

She also hinted that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Budget Office of the Federation were verifying oil subsidy payments.

Nwaobia however dismissed insinuations that there was  massive looting going on in the ministries due to the absence of ministers, stressing that their absence cannot stall progress in the business of governance.

She said: “The state of Nigerian finances is okay. Our finances are okay, though we are still going through challenges of revenue stream to government and this you know obviously is from the oil shock, the price of oil that has dropped. It has significantly reduced the revenue stream to government but we are working on other ways to see how we can shore up the revenue, so that we will be able to meet our expenditure.

“We did not say that we will not pay subsidy. As the former minister said, there is a liability on subsidy which is being verified by the CBN and Budget Office of the Federation. The issue had to do with the forex differentials which they were claiming and this committee is looking into it, and as soon as it is resolved we will be able to say the verified amount also.”

The bailout package elicited commendations from some eminent Nigerians, who, however, urged our leaders to be prudent in the management of the scarce resources. Those who spoke on the issue included legal icon, Professor Itse Sagay (SAN); former presidential candidate, Professor Pat Utomi and Labour Party scribe, Kayode Ajulo.

It’s a welcome development—Sagay

Professor Sagay,described the bail out as a welcome development, saying: “Since they are owing salaries and all states have a share in the excess crude oil account and because they are in a desperate situation, I think it is a welcome decision.”

The legal icon, however, dismissed the notion that the bailout is a sign of weakness on the part of the President.

“People believe in extremism but to be strong does not mean that you have to be extreme. It does not mean that you have to lack any feelings for people. He (Buhari) must be thinking of thousands of workers, who have not been paid for six months.”

It is imperative for Nigeria’s survival — Utomi

On his part, Professor Pat Utomi said the bailout for states is imperative for the economic survival of the country. His words:

“It is important to recognize that without such bailout, the economy will be in danger as there will be no spending going on while those offering services will be unable to offer anything. The bailout is very important for the economy.”

Besides, he said “this development should now make government impose conditionality that will stop mismanagement and unnecessary spendings”.

Priority needs to be set right—Ajulo, LP scribe

On its part, the Labour Party, which accused the state governors of allegedly mismanaging resources meant to run the states, advised that the bailout funds must be judiciously spent.

LP National Secretary, Dr Kayode Ajulo,  said: “Priority needs to be set right on the granting and usage of the bail out. It is unfortunate that governors, most of whom operate flamboyantly and mismanaged their states’ resources are  begging for bailout. Salaries have to be paid, therefore the bailout must come with a condition that the money must be used to offset the unpaid salaries.”

The LP scribe noted that “I say this knowing the antics of some of our governors as we should not be surprised that some of them may commit the money to another white elephant project or buy private jets which is the latest vogue among them.  Greek was given conditions when she asked for bail out from the European Union and I see nothing wrong in setting a condition for the bail out as there must be an end to the prevalence of financial indiscipline  among our state executive.”

 

Unpaid Salaries: Buhari okays N804.7b lifeline for states

We won’t pay staff schools workers’ salaries again – FG

The Federal Government has formally hands off the payment of salaries of teaching and non-academic workers of staff schools in institutions across the country.

The National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission specifically said government should not be responsible for the payment of their salaries because of its overbearing effect on the budget.

Part of the mandate of the commission includes monitoring the wage sector and advising the Federal Government on the fixing and regulation of workers’ salaries and other remuneration as well as the control of personnel costs.

The announcement by the chairman of NSIWC, Chief Richard Egbule, during a press briefing on Wednesday in Abuja came on the heels of threat by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities to embark on strike if the Federal Government refused to fund the schools which were said to have been established by the institutions.

“I would like to appeal to staff unions not to distract the new government with unnecessary demands. The government has stopped payment of salaries of members of staff in the primary and secondary schools in these tertiary institutions and the decision is final,” he said.

He recalled that in an agreement signed between the Federal Government and SSANU in November 2009, it was clear that universities should bear the full capital and costs of both staff primary and secondary schools, while parents of pupils and students should bear the recurrent costs.

Egbule said that in the course of its inspection, the commission observed a trend in which government-owned institutions charge the funding of staff schools established by them to government treasury.

This, he said, contributed to the overbloating of the recurrent cost in government budget.

To correct the situation, the commission said a study it carried out in 2013 to ascertain the number of staff schools in the country revealed many disturbing trends.

“Fourty-eight did not have staff schools, 21 funded their staff schools from their internally generated revenue, while 51 funded theirs from federal treasury budget sources by hiding the staff lists of such schools as part of the institution’s authentic members of staff.

“In some instances, the staff salary of such schools was placed on the salary structure meant for tertiary educational institutions, which is higher in quantum than the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure which has been costing the Federal Government about N4bn per annum,” Egbule stated.

The commission added that based on its findings, it issued a circular with reference number SWC/S/04S.446/T2/85 dated August 27, 2014” in which it stated that the policy was applicable to all staff schools meant for the children of the personnel of such institutions and other members of the public regardless of the nomenclature used.

The National President of SSANU, Samson Ugwoke, told had journalists in Abuja that the government’s decision would contravene an earlier agreement reached between government and relevant associations in 2009. The agreement, he said, was that government would continue with the funding of recurrent and capital expenditures of universities’ staff schools.

“An institution (the National Universities Commission), that is supposed to advise the government rightly is not doing so. We are calling on the government to do the needful and what is right. This is the last warning and you will not hear from us again until we take action because strike is imminent,” he threatened.

According to him, the schools were established by statues and therefore made provision for employment of relevant workers by the universities’ council.

Ugwoke had said government should not resort to distribution of directives through circulars and throw thousands of employees into the labour market.

He argued that the law should be changed before such a directive could be implemented.

We won’t pay staff schools workers’ salaries again – FG

Osun State teachers deny salary payment rumour

The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers in Osun State, Mr. Wakeel Amuda, has said teachers in the state have not been paid any of the outstanding salaries by the state government.

Aregbesola

Amuda said this in a telephone interview with our correspondent in Osogbo on Sunday.

There were rumours in the state during the weekend that workers had started receiving bank alert for payment of three months’ salaries.

But Amuda described the rumour as a lie being peddled by some politicians to hoodwink members of the public that the state government had paid the workers.

He said, “It is all lies.We have not received any payment alert. Some politicians are behind the rumour. A politician told me that a civil servant had received salary alert around noon today (Sunday). I followed him to the person but there was no evidence that his salary has been paid. It is a lie.”

Efforts to confirm from the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in the state, Mr. Jacob Adekomi, were unsuccessful as calls put across to his telephone indicated that the phone had been switched off.

A worker in one of the local governments in the state also told our correspondent that they were still expecting to be paid as of Sunday evening.

The worker, who pleaded not to be mentioned, said he had not received any salary alert while describing the rumour of payment as unfounded.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party has berated the state government for allegedly misleading members of the public that workers had been paid.

The Director of Publicity of the PDP in Osun State, Mr. Diran Odeyemi, said this in a statement in Osogbo on Sunday.

The opposition party accused the state government of being behind the claims on the social media that workers had been paid their salaries.

The statement read in part, “Few hours to the June 30 deadline that Governor Rauf Aregbesola set for himself for the payment of all outstanding workers salaries and pension, no single worker has been paid.

“We consider this as wicked and insensitive. Many of the workers owing landlords and various people are being harassed for payments due to the online propaganda of the state government.

“Why is everything about Aregbesola’s government shrouded in lies, mystery and secrecy?

“Through our findings, we can confirm that no Osun worker has been paid. We also demand information on how and where Ogbeni Aregbesola got money to pay workers. Was the money made available by banks or he had it and just preferred to withhold payment? We need information.”

Efforts to speak to the governor through his media aide, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, on the matter proved abortive as calls put across to his mobile telephone were not answered.

Osun State teachers deny salary payment rumour

Salaries: FG’s condition worse than states’, says Oshiomhole

Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, says the Federal Government’s financial standing is worse than the states’.

Oshiomhole said this during a programme on Channels Television titled, “View from the top”.

Buhari and Oshiomhole

About 18 states owe workers salaries while many others have stopped all capital projects, following the drop in federal allocations caused by the drop in global oil price.

However, Oshiomhole said the Federal Government’s was also struggling.

He said the only reason why that of the Federal Government was not noticeable was because of the Federal Government’s easy access to funds.

He noted that the Federal Government controls the Central Bank of Nigeria and can approve any amount of money for itself.

The governor said the immediate past Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was largely to blame for the current financial crisis besetting the country because she failed to save for the rainy day.

He said, “When analysts and commentators allude to the facts which everybody can see that many states, maybe as much as two-thirds of the states, are not up to date in payment of salaries, allowances and other obligations to their work force, what is not often stated is the fact that the Federal Government is just in the same bad shape.

“The only thing for us is that under the immediate past minister of finance, they have borrowed rather recklessly in trillions of naira to meet the wage obligation of the Federal Government.

“For example, Jonathan can be said to pay wages, only to the extent that Okonjo-Iweala borrowed from CBN, from various bond instruments, including drawing down over N3 trillion from pension funds. So, civil servant savings, what we call the workers’ capital in the trade union parlance, is what the former minister drew from heavily to fund the wages of federal employees.”

The governor insisted that if Nigerians say governors were extravagant in spending and did not save for a rainy day, what about Okonjo-Iweala who was in charge of over 50 per cent of oil revenue.

When asked to defend his statement in the face of Okonjo-Iweala’s claim that governors did not allow her to save for a rainy day, as they always wanted proceeds of the Excess Crude Account, Oshiomhole said the minister was only making baseless accusations.

He said, “That is one-quarter of the truth. What you should have asked her is that if they assume that the Federal Government is a responsible manager who believes a rainy day is coming under Okonjo-Iweala and you have me and the 35 others who are reckless, you should have asked her where are the federal savings meant for a rainy day?

“All the 36 states plus Abuja share 26 per cent of the money. This means for every N100 that Nigeria earns, 36 state governors share N26 while N52.6 goes to the Federal Government plus ecology and other deductions.

“There are other organisations whose funds ought to flow directly into the Federation Account and they never flowed there – Nigeria Ports Authority, various institutions, the health sector, the maritime sector, NNPC, various agencies, the gas sector – all of these ought to flow into the FAC and they never got there.

“The governors have control over their share which is 26 per cent. Mr. Federal Government has control of 52.6 per cent. Where are Okonjo-Iweala’s savings of the federal portion? If she can show where she saved it, then you can proceed to say she was right. She didn’t save for the Federal Government for a rainy day.”

Oshiomhole, who served as the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress from 1999 to 2007, said the call for an increase in wages was legitimate.

He said since the naira had been devalued by about 25 per cent, it would be unfair for Nigerian workers to continue to earn the same wages despite the rise in the rate of inflation.

The governor urged the President to stop the importation of rice and other foods grown in Nigeria.

Salaries: FG’s condition worse than states’, says Oshiomhole

Unpaid Salaries: 36 govs meet on bailout for bankrupt states

ABUJA —  Troubled by the precarious financial situation of 18 out of the 36 states of the federation, the governors are meeting today in Abuja to propose a bail out scheme for the financially handicapped states.

The governors are to brainstorm on possible solution to the several months of unpaid salaries in the technically bankrupt states among other issues, according to a statement issued yesterday by Director-General of the Governors’ Forum, Mr. Asishana Okauru

The governors are said to be worried that if the situation in the affected states is allowed to linger, it may portend danger for the nation’s nascent democracy. The states that are financially down, it was learnt, if left on their own may not be able to address some of the very serious problems confronting them.

The governors under the aegis of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, will examine issues relating to the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee, FAAC, the Excess Crude Accounts ( ECA) and Revenue Enhancement Scheme as it affects state revenue flow for states, according to items listed on the agenda of today’s meeting.

The meeting will be presided over by NGF chairman and governor of Zamfara State, Abdullaziz Yari.

ABUJA —       Troubled by the precarious financial situation of 18 out of the 36 states of the federation, the governors are meeting today in Abuja to propose a bail out scheme for the financially handicapped states.

The governors are to brainstorm on possible solution to the several months of unpaid salaries in the technically bankrupt states among other issues, according to a statement issued yesterday by Director-General of the Governors’ Forum, Mr. Asishana Okauru

The governors are said to be worried that if the situation in the affected states is allowed to linger, it may portend danger for the nation’s nascent democracy. The states that are financially down, it was learnt, if left on their own may not be able to address some of the very serious problems confronting them.

The governors under the aegis of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, will examine issues relating to the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee, FAAC, the Excess Crude Accounts ( ECA) and Revenue Enhancement Scheme as it affects state revenue flow for states, according to items listed on the agenda of today’s meeting.

The meeting will be presided over by NGF chairman and governor of Zamfara State, Abdullaziz Yari.

Invited Governors

Speaking to reporters in Abuja, Okauru disclosed that all the governors, including Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa, Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, Senator Benedict Ayade of Cross River, Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano; Kashim Shettima of Borno and Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, were invited to the meeting.

On Monday, Vanguard published a lead story on why about eighteen states in the federation can not pay their workers salaries. Some states owed their workers several months.

Oyo workers lament

Oyo State Governor, Abiola AjimobiOyo S

Workers in Oyo State whose strength has been put at over 30,000 have been lamenting their unpaid three-month salary arrears. As at last month, the Abiola Ajimobi led-administration was owing some of them three months while others, especially those in the state owned tertiary institutions are claiming that they only received salary in January this year. Last month workers in the state embarked on warning strike for about three weeks. Before the strike was suspended, the state branch of Nigeria Labour Congress led by Mr. Waheed Olojede and the state government signed a Memorandum of Understanding stating how the backlog of salary arrears would be paid.

The Head of Service, Mr. Soji Eniade explained that instead of the monthly allocation of N5.2 billion from the federation account, it has come down to N2.6 billion. This, he said was largely responsible for the paucity of funds in the state.

Speaking to Vanguard in a telephone interview yesterday, Olojede agreed with the Head of Service that the shortfall in the state’s revenue was due to the cut in the monthly allocation from the federation account. He said knowing the incapability of the state government in the area of finance; the labour union was diplomatic in resolving the issue with the government.

According to him, before the union came in, the government could not pay the salaries of workers at all and the union had to advise the government on how to pay the suffering workers.

“As at that time, about 20,000 workers in the state were yet to be paid their salaries and when we came in, the government agreed to pay January salary.

“Later, we made them to pay February. What remains now are deductions for the month of February and the government will pay that any moment from now”, he said.

Olojede further explained that the government would pay the March salary any moment from now and it will then owe April and May. He said as at the moment he was speaking with Vanguard, he could not say the exact number of workers in the state.

Internally Generated Revenue

Vanguard findings however revealed that the government has made remarkable progress in its drive to increase Internally Generated Revenue, IGR.

The state’s IGR was N10.4 billion in 2014, N14.5 billion in 2012, N15.25 billion in 2013 and N16.3 billion in 2014.

All efforts to get the government’s reaction to the story were futile because former media aides and former commissioners were not ready to speak on the issue. The state government is not in a hurry to make any appointment now. Vanguard, however, gathered from a source that the government intentionally did not make public the population of workers in the state and the federal allocation on monthly basis.

A source who is a civil servant said they did not have the analysis, and directed our correspondent to labour leaders who also are not willing to divulge the information.

Ebonyi

In Ebonyi, the government has raised alarm over the debt profile of the state which is estimated at over N50 billion incurred by the administration of Governor Martin Elechi. In a chat with Vanguard, Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Prof Ben Odo stated that the debt profile included salaries owed workers and unpaid certificates generated by contractors handling projects across the state. According to him, the state government had held series of meetings with various strata of Ebonyi society, including organised labour in order to chart a new course for the payment of workers salaries and reduction of the state’s debt burden.

He expressed commitment of the present administration in the state toward improving the welfare of workers.

“We have invited the Joint Labour Team for an interaction where we presented the reality on ground regarding the huge debt profile in the state. The welfare of workers is prime to this administration and we are committed to it against all odds.

“During the interaction we told Labour to assist us in ensuring that there is a boost in our Internally Generated Revenue, IGR. We have told Labour to help us block the leakages that have kept our IGR very low in the state as we are deeply committed to the payment of workers.

“There are two categories of debts profile that make the N50 billion and it has to do with workers salaries and non-payment of contractors. There is no money in the state presently as we are using personal resources to run the government; we presented this reality to Labour and others.”

We need bailout—APC govs

Meanwhile, Governors on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, have pleaded for the intervention of the Federal Government to enable them pay salaries workers and meet other necessary demands.

Rising from a meeting that lasted for over five hours, the chairman of the Governors Forum and Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorcha, said the state of the economy called for urgent attention.

He said: “We the governors of the progressive party met today to review the state of the economy. We also met to review the issues as it affect our great party.

“First, on the economy of the nation, we are concerned and worried by the dwindling revenue of the states which today has affected negatively the lives of our people.

“It has become so serious and urgent actions must be taken for a bailout for the states. States are not getting better either. We sat down to review what steps could be taken. We are calling for overhaul of the system to block all the leakages in our economy.

“We have realised that what we are going through today is as a result of the poor management of our economy in the recent time. The APC government met a near empty treasury. This has become very worrisome, not just for us, but for the entire nation.

“We have some natural challenges in the country because of the drop in oil price and the issue of oil theft. There are other issues like the crude swap. We have the gas revenues which has never reflected before. We have the mismanagement of oil subsidy. Few year ago, we paid about N200 nillion. Today, it is about N1.4 trillion. We are worried.

Plateau

In Plateau State, Mr Emmanuel Nanle, Director of Press & Public Affairs said: “The government of Simon Lalong inherited the situation and what the Transition Committee is doing and what government is trying to do, is to understand basically the reason for non-payment of salaries.

“Basically, one couldn’t really guess what would have been the reason. The governor has also mentioned clearly that he feels that if the previous government did not dip their hands in the face of dwindling economic resources and fall in revenue profile into wide-spread government projects that had not been prioritized with cost benefit analysis, we wouldn’t have found ourselves in this situation.

Right now, we found ourselves in this situation wherein you have debt servicing taking a large chunk of the money and leaving recurrent expenditure hanging and as such salaries could not be paid.

“Right now we need to streamline our priorities, identify the projects that are of necessity that must be finished and then once those projects are tidied up and staggered alongside the resources that are available at hand to be able to address the myriads of other problems being for attention.”

On how soon the arrears of salaries will be liquidated he said: “I am sure you are in tune. That is why Labour called off the strike in the last few days. The reason for the calling off of the strike is that they arrived at a common agreement with government to the effect that salaries will be paid concurrently with one month arrears.

“That has been worked out and signed and everyone in Plateau state is expectant, full of hopes and waiting to see that they receive one month arrears.

“Those who have not received November, 2014 salary will receive double, those who received will get only one month until everyone is brought at par then they will receive December and they will receive the subsisting current one. In a period of six months, all arrears would have been paid.”

Katsina

In Katsina, Vanguard findings showed that the newly inaugurated administration of Governor Aminu Bello Masari may not be able to pay workers salaries because it inherited an empty treasury. The governor’s spokesman, Labaran Abdul told Vanguard in an interview that apart from the huge debt incurred by the immediate past administration, Shema emptied the treasury. Abdul said although the immediate past government did not owe worker salaries, the PDP led government of the former regime of Governor Shema left an empty treasury.

“So, I think we may be finding it difficult to pay salaries as at when due because as I talk to you the accounts of the state government have been frozen. Abdul said the governor in his determined effort has vowed to ensure that sanity was brought to bear in the governance of Katsina State as business would no longer be as usual.

Abia

Vanguard investigations also showed that in Abia State, there is no Information Commissioner yet, and no official was willing to dabble into discussing the issue of why workers were not paid, perhaps for fear of political persecution, bearing in mind how the present governor emerged.

However, state chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Uchenna Obigwe said that Labour expected the new government to open up on the issue so that Labour can ask questions and follow up.

Obigwe said 70% of the state’s workforce of about 20,000 is still being owed salary arrears. The figure, according to him, constitute mainly teachers, local government workers, pensioners, parastatals’ staff, including tertiary institutions.

Labour in the state, he said, has already compiled the debt profile and sent to its headquarters. However, the aggrieved workers who are being owed blamed their woes on the huge amount of money spent in the last elections by the previous government. Others blamed it on the “wasteful lifestyle of past government officials” and their insensitivity to workers.

For now, it is not yet known how the new government of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu intends to offset the salary arrears as he has not opened up on this sore issue. But a source close to him, disclosed that he has been talking to banks to raise money to offset the arrears.

Abia received between N4 and N5 billion from the federation account before national allocations nosedived and now it gets about N2 billion while it has a wage bill of over N1.5 billion, and an IGR of about N500 million.

Benue

In Benue State, Vanguard gathered that a few days ago, Governor Samuel Ortom disclosed that the state is owing its workforce backlog of salaries amounting to over N12 billion. The governor stated that the accumulated five months salary arrears were inherited from the immediate past Gabriel Suswam-led administration.

Ortom said his administration had already commenced moves to clear the backlog, promising that in the interim, his government would pay one month of the arrears across board, while efforts would be intensified to clear the remainder.

The governor also disclosed that the former administration in May took an overdraft from its receiving bank to the tune of N1.9billion. He also attributed the development to the dwindling allocation to states from the federation account.

He said: “When we received our allocation for that month which was just N1.6 billion it was withheld by the bank, leaving us with nothing but an outstanding N300million to be paid.”

Contacted, Media Adviser to the Governor, Mr. Tahav Agezua said the former administration should be in a better position to explain why salaries were not paid.

Agezua added further that “on our part, we are making efforts to pay, but we are starting payments from June and thereafter intensify efforts to clear the backlog.”

Cross River

It will be recalled that on May 26, 2015, two days to the end of Senator Imoke’s administration, workers in Cross River state went on strike occasioned by the non-payment of their April salaries which were outstanding at the time.

The workers were afraid that Senator Imoke who had earlier promised to offset all salaries owed the workers during his final May Day address to the workers during the May Day celebration would leave office without fulfilling his promise and the strike was to pre-empt any such move.

Senator Imoke however prevailed on the workers to call off the strike and to keep to his word, while he was handing over to Senator Ben Ayade, the state civil servants apart from their counterparts on the payroll of the Local Government Service Commission received alerts from their banks notifying them of the payment of their April salaries.

Also few days after Senator Ayade assumed the mantle of leadership, he ordered payment of May salaries to the workers, leaving out primary school teachers, medical and health workers and others on the payroll of local governments. These categories of workers were in the months of January, February and March paid half of their salaries. However during the negotiation with Imoke, their leaders asked that instead of the piecemeal payment, the workers were ready to wait till the month of June for the complete salaries for the months of April and May.

State Accountant-General, Mr Henry Ojugwu told Vanguard that the state has one of the least allocations among states in the South-South occasioned by the loss of its seventy six oil wells to neigbouring Akwa Ibom State but has been doing its best to pay workers their salaries.

He said the state’s monthly allocation from the federation account oscillates between N2-2.5 billion Naira, and that worker’s and political office holders salaries take bulk of the allocation .

“We spend about N1.7 billion on salaries alone and we have quite a number of on-going projects under execution and as such we need to create a balance between the payment of salaries and project execution by sourcing for additional funds.”

Though he would not mention how the additional funds are sourced to run the state but internally generated revenue and loans account for a large chunk of the additional funds as the state makes about N1.3 billion naira every month. The state in 2012 generated N15.3 billion as internally-generated revenue, which funds have been very useful in helping to offset the cost of salary payments and other administrative needs.

The meeting of the 36 state Governors is coming on the heels of another factional group which was loyal to former governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State that was held on Tuesday, an indication that the crisis which rocked the Governors Forum during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s tenure was set to continue.

The factional group fixed its first meeting for Tuesday with Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo state as leader. In a statement signed on Monday by the Coordinator of the Forum, Earl Osaro Onaiwu, the meeting is scheduled for 7.00 p.m. in Maitama, Abuja, just as it was the first post election meeting, adding, “top on the agenda are issues like post-election assessment of the party, the way-forward as well as the election of the chairman from amongst the thirteen members.”

The Tuesday meeting by the factional group came barely twenty- eight days after the meeting of the NGF was held in Abuja with former Governors Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, who were at the centre of the crisis of the meeting in attendance, an indication that they have all buried the hatchet and prepared to work together as one body.

The governors, made up of the All Progressives Congress, APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP met last month at the Lagos/ Osun Hall of Transcorp Hilton, Abuja and it was the first of its kind since 2013 when they fell out. Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State was elected chairman of the forum and he took over from Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers.

Present at the said meeting were former governors Akpabio of Akwa Ibom and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers; Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger; Ramallan Yero of Kaduna; Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi; Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta; Isa Yuguda of Bauchi; Governors Adams Oshiomhole of Edo; Rauf Aregbesola of Osun; Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano; Kashim Shettima of Borno; Abiola Ajimobi; Emmanauel Udom of Akwa Ibom; Deputy governor of Kogi, Yomi Awoniyi; Deputy governor of Nasarawa State and Deputy governor of Imo State.

It will be recalled that since the former governor of Rivers State and Chairman, Nigeria Governor’s Forum, NGF, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi was re-elected chairman of the forum in May 2013 where he polled 19 votes to defeat governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State, the only governor who contested with him to score 16, all has not been well with the forum until what appeared to be a reconciliation meeting last month.

It will also be recalled that Amaechi who chaired one of the factions, was first elected Chairman of NGF in 2011 when he took over from former Kwara State governor and now President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki. The Nigeria Governors’ Forum which was established to among others, provide a forum for discussion and exchange of ideas, help strengthen and promote Nigeria’s federal system and promote understanding among governors and states, is the umbrella body of all the thirty-six state governors of the federation.

 

vanguard

Unpaid Salaries: 36 govs meet on bailout for bankrupt states

NLC must pressurise govs to pay salary arrears – Oshiomhole

The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, has called on the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress to take steps to ensure that state governors pay their states workers salary arrears before the handover date of May 29.

He said the leaders of the labour movement would be seen to be guilty of complicity if they fail to ensure that the workers are paid their salaries before the exit of the governors.

Oshiomhole,  who added that Edo State had paid salaries of its workers up to date, made the comment while paying a courtesy call on the President of the NLC, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, in Abuja on Tuesday.

The governor, a former President of the NLC, urged the leaders of the labour centre to make sure that the governors coughed out what they owed the Nigerian worker either in cash or in assets before handing over to their successor later this month.

He said the incoming governors were not likely to clear that backlog of arrears as they would be lamenting the huge debt burden inherited from their predecessors and would be pleading for time to pay the arrears.

He said, “In Edo today, we are one of the very few states that are not in arrears and we will not be in arrears. Even this salary of April, it would be paid before the last working day of April even though my commissioner told me yesterday that the Federal Government has again defaulted in remitting in full what accrues to the federation account.

“Last month, we got less than N1.5bn less. This month we are getting 10 per cent less than we got even last month.

“So, that is why I told the NLC President that instead of quarrelling about who should be the President, this is not a President that would be awarding contracts; you should unite to ensure that workers GET PAIDbecause if you allow these governors to leave office on May 29 with arrears of salaries, you will be guilty of conspiracy against the workers and you are accessories after the fact of non-payment of wages.

NLC must pressurise govs to pay salary arrears – Oshiomhole