From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
Governor Bello
The Organize Labour in Kogi state has demanded for the immediate release of the balance of N30.8billion bailout fund meant for payment of workers and pensioners in the state from the federal government.
The amount stands as the balance of N50.8billion approved by the federal government to settle arrears of salaries owed workers and pensioners at both state and local government levels.
Addressing journalists in Lokoja on Wednesday, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Onuh Edoka explained that the state government applied and got the approval of the money during the immediate past administration of Capt. Idris Wada which was unable to be accessed before the All Progressives Congress took over the leadership of the state.
The labour leader told journalists that the president administration of Alhaji Yahaya Bello since assumption of office was able to only access N20billion of the fund leaving the balance of N30.8billion.
He said the non-release of the money had put the state workers of Kogi more especially local government staff and primary school teachers into a very difficult condition where they cannot even meet their basic needs as human beings
‘”As I speak with you, majority of state workers are being owed between five months to two years salary arrears just for those who got late clearance from the screening exercise conducted by government. The worst case 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 staff are owed salary arrears of well over thirty months by the time you calculate the percentages of their salaries not paid over the years” Edoka confirmed.
He therefore emphasized the urgent need for the release of the remaining fund to enable the state government settle the backlog arrears owed to teachers and local government workers.
The labour leader noted that a situation where salaries are not adequately and promptly paid, it could rub off achievements of any government and appealed to government at all levels to give priority to salary payment in view of the ripple effects it has on the economy of the state generally.
