Victor Ogunje
14 November 2009
Ado Ekiti — Ekiti State government has attributed current delay in the payment of salaries of civil servants in the state, to the April/May re-run governorship election in the state.
This was disclosed to newsmen yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Hon. Kola Adefemi.
Ekiti workers are yet to receive their October salary.
The governor's aide also said the two-day warning strike embarked upon last week by the labour leadership over the issue was personal, rather than in the interest of the workers.
Secretary of the state chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade (Mrs.) Abidemi Alaafiatyo has considered the aide's comment as a flimsy excuse, stressing that there was enough money in the government's coffers to ensure prompt payment of workers' salaries.
Adefemi said, "After the rerun election, a total of 79 days in-between, Governor Segun Oni returned to the saddle to find that the interim government of 79 days had increased wages, first, by 27.5 per cent and then there was another 13 per cent increase totaling 40 per cent increase in wages.
"Now, Ekiti is not a rich state in terms of resources, except human. Recognizing the dangers ahead, the governor called a meeting of stakeholders to discuss the issue. Mr. Governor was left with three options, which included; reversal to the status quo to be able to meet the wage bill as and when due.
"Downsizing the workload in order to be able to pay as and when due, especially when the civil service is over-bloated and three, leaving things as they are but having to wait for Federal Allocation which does not come on time."
Adefemi explained that the first two options were politically suicidal, hence the government opted for the third option, which he described as "though the reality, but is a very strainful option on the part of the government".
Stating that the workers should be grateful to the government, he claimed that the Oni-led administration did not owe two months' salary but that of two and half weeks.
The NLC secretary was not however, convinced of the postulations of the governor's aide as she said that the government should not personalize the issue but ensure prompt and regular payment of salaries and allowances of workers in the state.
"Contrary to what they want the world to believe, we know that the state government has more than enough money to pay salaries and allowances of workers. Rather than resorting to cheap blackmail and name-calling, our demands are simple and these are that the government should ensure the prompt and regular payment of workers' salary", she said.
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