Unpaid salaries: Reps, NLC move against govs
· Reps probe disbursement, utilisation of bailout funds by state governors
· Lament that many of the beneficiary states are still owing workers’ salaries till date
· Instead of paying workers, some governors placed bailout funds in interest bearing accounts – Rep
· We’ll declare state of emergency over non-payment of salaries and ask state councils to respond effectively – NLC
The House of Representatives on Thursday resolved to investigate the disbursement and utilization of bailout funds released to states by the federal government to enable governors pay outstanding workers’ salaries, just as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) vowed to tackle the governors over non-payment and cuts in salaries of workers.
The resolution by the House was sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by Rep. Karimi Sunday Steve (PDP, Kogi) condemning the utilization of bailout funds by many state governors.
Following the resolution, an ad hoc committee was set up to probe the terms and conditions attached to the granting of the bail outs by the Buhari administration, the level of utilization and compliance with such conditions and to ascertain why further bail outs need to be extended to states.
The ad hoc committee has four weeks to report its findings.
Moving the motion, Rep. Karimi said 27 states, because of dwindling allocation from the federation account, had been unable to meet their financial obligations, particularly to their employees.
The precarious financial conditions of the states, the lawmaker further said forced the state governors to approach the federal government for assistance to enable them settle workers’ salaries, retirement benefits and gratuities of retired civil servants.
According to him, in July 2015, the federal government released N689 58billion to the 27 distressed states, while an additional N20billion was released to Kogi state four months later.
“Unfortunately, many of the beneficiary states have failed to utilize the sums or the entire sums released for payment of workers’ salaries and are accordingly still owing workers salary till date.
He added that a recent report by BudgIt, a data company revealed that as at April 30, 2016, 13 states still owed their workers various salary arrears ranging from two to seven months.
The lawmaker expressed concern that states that collected bail outs reportedly refused to utilize such funds for the payment of salaries, adding that instead the governors placed the funds in interest bearing accounts while their employees wallow in hunger, poverty and lack.
“Some of these workers had even lost their lives because of their inability to meet their daily needs. The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offenders Commission (ICPC) in their recent report, indicted several state governments on the utilization of the released funds”, he said.
He further said, “States like Abia, Osun, Bayelsa, Benue, Ekiti, Kwara, Plateau, Oyo, Delta, Niger, Ogun, Nasarawa, Kogi, among others, are still owing workers’ salaries for several months.”
Contributing to the motion, House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, said that the intention of giving out the bailout funds was good, but that the application seemed to be wrongly done.
He said that in order to have transparency, the House should look into the matter and avoid same mistake in the bailout to be given soon.
Also contributing, Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, said that based on the provisions of the Constitution, the House was empowered to look into the methodology and legality of the bailout funds.
Also moving against affected state governors, NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday that the congress would meet with all its state councils to encourage them to respond effectively to some of the challenges in the states.
“We may declare a state of emergency in the area of non-payment of salaries and we are going to have a meeting with all our state councils to respond effectively to some of these challenges.
“We want to take stock of exactly what the issues are and we will also put appropriate employers on notice.
“ We will declare a state of emergency because workers should not be made to bear the brunt of the challenges because they are not responsible.
“When the economy was good they did not enjoy, now that there is a challenge, they are the worst-hit, it should not be so; these are our arguments.
“But when they are taking such decisions, they also have to be very balanced in taking such decision, it should not only apply to workers.
“Political office holders are still collecting their money even though they are proposing the reduction; they are still collecting the security vote we are talking about and they are still issuing bogus contracts.”
He said most countries that had experienced economy recession, had to take all interests into consideration before deciding to either cut salaries or stop payment of workers.
Wabba explained that salaries were not an allocation to workers, but remunerations earned in line with international best practices and in consonance with Convention 138 of the International Labour Organisation.
“Salaries of workers are not an allocation; therefore, the pronouncement by some of these governors, I think it is something that needs to be condemned.
“We are condemning it in strong terms; how much is N18,000?
“How much is the quantum of money that the governors are collecting and looting; let them compile it so that we can all see it.
“Do not also forget, these workers need to leave a decent life and to work and provide such services.
“If you do not pay them or pay them half of their salary, how would they leave a decent life?
“How will these workers be able to take care of their immediate needs?’’
He advised state governors not to cut or stop payment of salaries due to economy recession but rather fashion out ways of generating funds for their states.
The NLC president also noted that some governors were proposing to sack workers.
He warned that such decision might lead to social instability and serious social consequences and vices in the states.
“Already, we have written a very strong letter and we are proposing also to engage these governors to see how best we can look at this issue.”
He advised state governors to ensure that they engaged with workers in a social dialogue before making any hash decision that would not be beneficial to the workers or move such states forward.
