IT was obvious from newspaper reports, almost a fortnight ago, from especially the report of the Nigerian Tribune, that Mr President was not just anxious but desperate to “address those issues that affect our people.” Most of the governors are not on all fours with him on this ‘matter. The first releases from the Paris Club Refund were made, with the approval of the president, towards the end of last year, for the payment to contractors and settlement of outstanding salaries and pensions.
But many Governors, from the information available in the newspapers, were alleged to have devoted a greater share of the funds to paying the contractors more than what they did for the workers and the pensioners, who had been dying for lack of food and drugs to sustain them in their old age .. It was apparent that the governors were more concerned with the cuts they would make from contracts, as if they would take a kobo out of it all to heaven.
As of February last month, workers and pensioners earning more than N20,000 and above in Osun State were paid full salaries and pensions last in June, 2015. It has been half salaries and pensions for almost 21 months now. As for the other states in the South-West, only Lagos ,and Ogun States appear to have taken care of their citizens. Ondo State is owing six months, Oyo State four months while Ekiti State is owing 5 months. Is Mr. President aware of this? Are Nigerians aware of this? It is during this republic that one learnt of half salaries and three-quarters of salaries.
As of 2014, when many of the governors were in their first terms, there was nothing of such, except one was under disciplinary measures. In fact, both Chief Bisi Akande and Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola accorded pensioners that ‘honour’, during their rule in Osun State, the right to obtain their pensions first before the working public servants were paid!
We are eagerly waiting for the release of the second tranche, which we pray and believe, through the instructions of the president, would solely be devoted to paying outstanding salaries and pensions. Will the governors listen to Mr President and show compassion, if it is they who would pay, and settle these outstanding payments and, therefore, ease the sufferings of the workers and pensioners?
We remember that one of the reasons the then General Muhammadu Buhari adduced December 31, 1983, for overthrowing the civilian government, was because the Governments of the Federation, at all levels, were owing workers and pensioners. Same situation is repeating itself these days. Would the president not remember the past and devise better ways to ensure that the funds to be released are expended only on arrears?
At present, I am yet to be convinced that the Federal Government cannot treat this issue as an emergency and employ better means, like through the central and commercial banks, of paying the workers and pensioners ‘direct’ to clear the arrears, in order to ensure that this second tranche is used specifically for what it is meant.
It is obvious that Mr President is more: on the side of the people than the governors on this aspect! Governors would always give the excuse of developing infrastructure like roads, etc. But a more than proportional expenditure on such is to the detriment of the lives and well-being of the people they serve. Does death of workers and pensioners counts less than the infrastructural developments? The governors find it difficult, if not impossible, to strike a balance between these two: infrastructure and health conditions of those they govern. Incidentally, many of the governors believe that salaries .and pensions are payable at °their own convenience, not minding whether or not workers and pensioners die or have other family commitments. Yet, they are feeding themselves and their families and meeting their own needs from resources accruing to their states and denying workers and retired officers, who have spent their youth serving their nation, their own rightful entitlements. Will they not, for once, have compassion on both workers and pensioners too, and ensure every kobo out of the expected funds is spent on the outstanding arrears and thereby save lives?
We pray that the President, Commander-in-Chief, Muhammed Buhari intervenes positively on the side of the down-trodden, as he has always done, rather than on the side of the Governors, who have all the resources of their states at their disposal.
- Elder Oyedeji is a retired Permanent Secretary.
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