NASU laments states inability to pay workers’ salaries

NASU

The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), rose from its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja and lamented the inability of about 27 State Governments to pay workers’ salaries as and when due running into several months.

In a communique issued at the end of the meeting, NASU insisted that payment of salaries is a statutory obligation which must be fulfilled.

The communique said: “NEC is even more disturbed by the reports that the bailout funds released to State Governors for the purpose of clearing the arrears of salaries were diverted by some State Governors to other purposes aside from the purpose for which the funds were released. In the spirit of the fight against corruption, NEC therefore, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate all those involved in this heinous crime and bring them to book.

“NEC noted that the economic recession is biting very hard on workers and therefore demands the immediate payment of all outstanding salaries to workers. NEC called on State Governors who are not able to fulfill this obligation to workers to resign.

NEC in sympathy with the plight of workers affirms its support for NLC’s position of ‘No Pay, No Work.’

On the funding of education, NASU said “NEC-in-Session condemned the inadequate funding of this important sector over the years despite agitations by the public. It however, recalled that the last administration released an intervention fund of N200 billion in 2014 to the Universities for some critical infrastructures with a promise to thereafter release N100 billion for two consecutive years but reneged on the promise.

“NEC therefore appealed to the present administration to adopt and fulfill this promise for improved funding.”

The NEC-in-Session also noted that the Federal Government had since November, 2015 failed to release in full Personnel Emolument to Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education and other Tertiary Institutions which had negatively affected the payment of salaries to workers in these institutions in full for months.”