FG, ASCSN agree on 7-man committee over unpaid N290bn arrears

The Ministry of Labour and Employment, and leaders of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, have agreed to set up a seven- man committee to oversee and fine tune the implementation of the‎ N290billion backlog of unpaid arrears to civil servants owed be the Federal Government.

‎The committee will be chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, whilst other members of the committee would compose of three members from the Association and three from Government.

A communiqué signed by Bobboi Bala Kaigama, President of ASCSN and Bolaji Adebiyi, Permanent Secretary FML&E, said: “Following the seven- day ultimatum dated September 8, 2017 issued by the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria on the issue of non-payment of salary arrears and other entitlements of public servants, especially promotion arrears, which the Association proposed to embark on an industrial action effective from Monday, September 18, 2017, the Minister of Labour and Employment convened a conciliatory meeting on September 12, 2017″.

Present at this meeting were all the 40 chapter -chairmen of ASCSN branches and their Secretariat led by the President of ASCSN/TUC-Bobboi Bala Kaigama. After an extensive deliberation on the issue of public servants’ unpaid promotion arrears and other entitlements, the following decisions were reached: Government will do all that is needed to ensure the commencement of payment of promotion arrears on or before Wednesday, September 20, 2017.

The 30 Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) that the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) reported that have been cleared whose payment bill amounts to 1.165billion naira should start to receive credit of payment by Wednesday, September 20, 2017.

The OAGF should provide the list of the 30 MDAs that have been cleared to the Minister of Labour and Employment,Dr.Chris Ngige and the association.

Stories by Joy Ekeke