Abuja — The non payment of 17 months salaries to staff of ailing Nigeria Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) and its mobile arm, MTEL by their former owners, Transcorp and now government is causing disquiet among the two firms' staff members.

Daily Trust learnt at the weekend that federal government had approved payment of five months out of the 17 but the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) that superintends it now alongside the technical committee set up by the government is insisting on paying only one month.

Concerned staff members who do not want their names in print told Daily Trust that a meeting between management of NITEL/MTEL and the BPE with staff union in attendance was held last week Wednesday in Abuja where it was mutually agreed to pay five months. The troubled staff said the BPE DG is reportedly saying he will pay only one month.

Another staff, through a text message said: "I am an MTEL staff. On Wednesday this week (last week), there was a meeting between NITEL/MTEL management and the Union with the DG of BPE in attendance where it was agreed that five months out of 17 months owed would be paid having gotten government approval, only for the BPE DG to say he will pay only one month. Please help us."The BPE spokesman, Mr Chigbo Anichebe told Daily Trust on phone yesterday that he couldn't comment as he had been away from Abuja for over a week.

Acting Chief Executive Officer of NITEL Hajia Zainab Ilyasu Sa'ab confirmed the meeting and the five months payment promise.

Hajia Zainab who spoke to Daily Trust on phone said: "Government has agreed to pay staff for the five months its owing since it took over (from Transcorp). The money would be paid in two weeks time. I don't know about reducing it to one month." A reliable source at Mtel who pleaded anonymity confirmed the meeting and said five months was agreed but could not comment about the DG reducing it to one. The federal government revoked the sale of NITEL to Transcorp on June 1, citing non- compliance with the Share Sale and Purchase Agreement (SSPA), including owing staff 11 months of unpaid salaries and inability to maintain it as a going concern.

NITEL is in the market again for re-sale after three previous botched attempts that has left it at its lowest ebb.

Last week, the BPE DG, Dr Chris Anyawu had told newsmen at a workshop on Privatisation Support Project organised by the bureau in collaboration with the World Bank that the renewed sale of moribund NITEL to a new core investor would be concluded by January, 2010 which is eight weeks away.