Salary payment will be impossible unless subsidy removed — Obaseki

Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, on Monday, decried the state of the economy, saying it will be tough for state and federal governments to pay workers wages after the month of June if fuel subsidy isn’t removed or money printed.

The governor, therefore, advised workers to brace up for more hardships upon subsidy removal and take part in the discussion process for the sake of transparency instead of the norm of reacting to the policy.

“Let me point out and highlight that even though we continue to struggle in Edo, working hard to make lives better for all of you, we are not oblivious to the fact that Nigeria is in trouble.

“The economy of our country is in a terrible state, it will be a miracle for the federal and state governments to pay salaries beyond June this year without resorting to massively printing money or removing fuel subsidies.

“Either of these decisions will bring more hardships and pains to us as a people, particularly to you, workers.

“Therefore, we must all make sure that the burden and pain of these measures, which must be taken are not borne by workers alone.

” Workers must now rise and ensure that they champion any discussions on subsidy removal.

“You must shift from the tradition of reacting when these policies have been made, you must now insist to take charge so that there will be full transparency and disclosure.

If we are all going to reform, then the benefits and the pains that will come out of these reforms must be mutually shared by all Nigerians not just the downtrodden,” Obaseki said during the workers’ day celebration in Benin City.

The governor, who described workers as “unsung heroes of the society”, said his government will continue to prioritize their respective welfare and ensure that workers are fairly treated so that their take-home pay can “take them home”.

“Our government has kept faith with prompt and regular payment of staff salaries and retirees in the state in the last six years.

” As a tradition, salaries must be paid on latest 26th day of every month and if there are holidays or ceremonies.

“We will make sure we pay workers before those ceremonies so that they will have enough to celebrate,” he added.

Speaking on the theme of the 2023 May day, “workers’ rights and socio-economic justice”, Odion Olaye, Edo State chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), urged the government to revitalize state-owned tertiary institutions, which, according to him, are in a state of neglect.

He noted that if nothing drastic is done, they may soon go into extinction as the 65 per cent: 35 per cent subvention policy has strangulated them financially and academically.

Charles Momoh, chairman of the Trade Union of Congress (TUC), on his part, opined that the civil service is understaffed and called for the recruitment of more staff so as to boost productivity.

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