THE organised labour in Kogi State on Wednesday asked the Federal Government to release N30.8 billion that was the balance of the approved bailout fund for workers in the public service of the state.
The federal government had approved N50.8 billion for the state out of which only N20 billion was released to the state.
The immediate past governor of the state, Capt Idris Wada, head towards the twilight of his administration applied and got the approval of N50.8 billion to settle arrears of salaries owed to workers and pensioners at the state and local government levels.
But the government of Capt Wada was unable to access any of the funds before the end of that regime.
The present government of Alhaji Yahaya Bello was only able to access N20 billion of the fund leaving the balance of N30.8 billion.
The non-release of the fund has put the workers of Kogi State, most especially local government workers and primary school teachers at a very perilous state where they cannot meet their basic needs as human beings.
ALSO READ: Lagos disburses N178.431m to beneficiaries of deceased SUBEB staff
According to the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Onuh Edoka, the majority of state workers were down with five months salary arrears, while those who got late clearance from the screening exercise have various months of the backlog of arrears.
He said, “The worst case scenario is that of primary school teachers and local government workers who have continued to receive ridiculous percentages of their salaries. As it stands today, primary school teachers and local government workers are being owed salary arrears of well over 30 months by the time you calculate the percentages of their salaries not paid over the years.
“Life has indeed become unbearable for these categories of workers as many could not afford the school fees of their children and other basic family needs.
“It is in the light of this that the organised labour in Kogi State passionately appeals to the Federal Government to release the sum of N30.8 billion being the balance of the approved N50.8 billion to enable the state government to settle the backlog of arrears owed to the teachers and local government workers.
The organised labour also appealed to the state government to give necessary priority to salary payment because of the ripple effects it has on the economy of the state generally.
“While the organised labour wishes to note with delight the efforts the government is making in improving the state’s infrastructure like road, water and security across the state, it should be noted also that when salaries are not adequately and promptly paid, it can rub off some of these achievements of the government.
“The workers of Kogi State are laws abiding and very supportive of the administration but government at the Federal, state and local levels should reciprocate this gesture by paying the backlog of salary arrears owed to them so that workers can continue to put in their best in the service of their fatherland.”
and then