Reportr Door

Tag: salaries

  • FG to spend N7.76tn on salaries, others

    The Federal Government’s recently agreed wage with the Labour Congress, salaries to federal workers, and other non-debt recurrent costs are expected to gulp N7.76tn in 2023.

    This is based on data from the initial 2023 budget and recently signed 2023 supplementary budget. The country’s central government recently approved a N2.18tn budget to augment new expenses, including an agreed wage reward for workers due to the removal of fuel subsidy.

    When the budget was announced, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, noted that N605bn has been earmarked for national defense, while N210bn will cover the payment of wage awards.

    He said, “N605bn for national defense and security is to sustain the gains made in security. It will accelerate the gains in that sector as the funds will be made available to security agencies before the year runs out.

    “Equally a sum of N300bn was provided to repair bridges, including Eko and Third Mainland bridges, as well as construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance of many roads nationwide before the return of the rainy season.

    “The sum of N210bn was provided for the payment of wage Awards. In negotiation with the Nigeria Labour Congress, the federal government agreed to pay N35,000 each to about 1.5 million employees of the Federal Government and that covers September, October, November, and December 2023.”

    According to appropriation details from the budget office, N1.01tn of the total budget is for recurrent expenditure with N1.17tn pegged for capital expenditure. The supplementary budget is set to increase the total non-debt recurrent expenditure of the Federal Government to N7.76tn and capital expenditure to N4.53tn.

    The supplementary budget is also set to increase the total budget for 2023 to N19.81tn. When debt servicing is removed, the budget totals N13.26tn. Of the N7.76tn budgeted for recurrent expenditure, at least N4.31tn (55.54 per cent) will be spent on salaries. So far, the government has spent N978.10bn on salaries in the first three months of 2023, based on the 2023 Q1 implementation report.

    It has spent N1.24tn on non-debt recurrent expenditure and N175.45bn on capital expenditure. So far, the government has borrowed N2.30tn to finance its budget, and before signing its supplementary budget, it predicted that fiscal deficit for the year would be N9.01tn.

    Recently, the Federal Government decried rising expenditure costs considering its falling revenues. The Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs Oluwatoyin Madein, noted on Wednesday that revenue generation and its collection is dwindling in comparison with expenditure for the government.

    She said, “Inasmuch as the revenue is in this position, the expenditure too has not also been helping matters, especially with the current economic reality where the prices of things are going up regularly.

    “The expenditure too is on the rise and definitely the strategies to increase revenue must be worked upon on a continuous basis to ensure that we are having funds to meet the expectations of Nigerians.”

    Nigeria’s revenue crisis is well documented due to falling oil production and inability to effectively diversify the economy.

    The former Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, summarised it thus, “Revenue generation remains the major fiscal constraint of the federation.

  • Zamfara NLC, TUC lament non-payment of civil servants’ salaries

    Zamfara NLC, TUC lament non-payment of civil servants’ salaries

    The Nigeria Labour Congress and its Trade Union Congress counterpart have expressed their disappointment over the inability of the state government, led by Governor Bello Matawalle, to pay the state’s civil servants’ salaries for two consecutive months.

    This is contained in a statement jointly signed in Gusau, on Wednesday, by the state NLC and TUC chairmen, Sani Halliru and Saidu Mudi.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Bello Matawalle, at the recently held 2023 May Day celebration assured that his administration would pay all outstanding salaries to civil servants in the state before handing to the governor-elect on May 29.

    The statement reads: “Series of issues prevailed, and meetings were vigorously held in respect of the above subject matter involving all the stakeholders on the best way to handle the matter with maturity and understanding between the state government and two labour unions.

    “The two labour centres condemned perceived nonchalant attitude of the state government to pay salary of its workers for two months of March and April.

    “Having patiently waited for the salary to be paid, the two labour centres, therefore, as a matter of responsibility, request the state government to save lives of workers and their families with immediate effect.

    “The leaders of the two workers’ unions have expressed serious concern over the condition of the state civil servants.

    “We crave for your indulgence, support and cooperation as we move to fight for your rights; therefore we urge you to be more patient and persevere. We will not relent until our salary is paid Insha Allah”, the labour leaders assured.

    NAN

    All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

    Contact: [email protected]

  • LAUTECH doctors withdraw services over unpaid salaries, conditions of service

    LAUTECH doctors withdraw services over unpaid salaries, conditions of service

    Doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State began an industrial action on Monday over poor conditions of service.

    The industrial action was called by the hospital’s chapter of the Medical and Dental Association of Nigeria and announced by its Chairman, Dr. Ayobami Alabi, and Secretary, Dr. Taiwo Alatishe in a statement.

    They stated that the decision was based on a congress resolution arrived at, at the expiration of an ultimatum earlier issued.

    The chapter’s MDCAN declared that it had critically observed the situation in the hospital and there was no definite assurance that issues in contention would soon be resolved either partly or wholly.

    The association stated that it had made efforts in the past to safeguard the hospital from total collapse and to reposition it for better training, research, and services for which it was established.

    It declared as unacceptable the continued non-payment of salaries of its members recently employed.

    It also decried the “delay and difficulty in payment of 2016 to 2017 salary arrears by the management.

    It added that some of the other issues in contention were the shortage of manpower across the different cadres of doctors, including consultants, specialists across different fields, resident doctors, specialists in training, and house officers.

    “The prescribed ratio of doctors expected to function in a tertiary hospital is already distorted and highly eroded by this shortfall undermining quality training and service.

    “The persistent inability of hospital management to employ doctors and other staff hinged on the excuse of paucity of funds, has led to failure in expanding the scope of training and services,’’ it stated.

    It also decried the decadence in infrastructure, equipment and facilities which it stated was making the hospital operate below the optimal standard expected of a teaching hospital.

    It listed the poor conditions of service to include a lack of basic facilities like offices for consultants and non-response from management in spite of years of appeal.

    The withdrawal of service “is done to safeguard the hospital from total collapse and to reposition it for better training, research, and services for which it was established.

    “The board of the hospital failed to respond appropriately and satisfactorily to all these challenges over the years despite our various engagements, tolerance, and show of understanding.

    “This treatment is anti-labour. It is also considered inhumane with the attending psychological and emotional trauma,’’ it stressed.

    It noted that it was becoming impracticable for the hospital’s management to provide basic amenities for effective service delivery.

    The MDCAN appealed to the public, traditional rulers, critical stakeholders, and the state government to come to the rescue of the teaching hospital to reposition it for better output. 

    (NAN)

  • Unpaid salaries: Kuje council teachers begin indefinite strike

    Unpaid salaries: Kuje council teachers begin indefinite strike

    Primary school teachers in Kuje Area Council, Abuja, on Monday, embarked on an indefinite strike over the alleged failure by the Council’s Chairman, Abdullahi Sabo, to reach an agreement with the Nigeria Union of Teachers.

    The Chairman of the Kuje branch, Audu Lucky, disclosed this in a statement signed by four union executive members and sent to the News Agency of Nigeria in Kuje on Tuesday.

    Lucky said that the teachers in Kuje were no longer ready to be taken for granted until their demands were met by the Chairman of Kuje Area Council.

    He said, ”The union observed with dismay the non compliance by the Council Chairman to address the backlog of the Local Education Authority teachers’ outstanding entitlements.”

    The NUT chairman added that the union had sent a letter to Sabo, with a reference number, NUT/169/5/138, dated 3/1/2023, while a letter of ultimatum dated 2/12/2022, was also sent to him.

    Lucky said, “In view of the above, the union leadership is calling on all LEA Primary schools teachers in Kuje Area council to proceed on an indefinite strike action with effect from Monday, 9th Jan, 2023, until further notice.

    “LEA Kuje primary school teachers are hereby directed to comply with this directive, please.”

    Lucky listed the demands to include the payment of salaries to 2018 recruited teachers whose salaries were abruptly stopped by the council Chairman in September 2022.

    ”Submission of the agreed template of payment of LEA teacher’s arrears to the JAAC Secretariat and continuation of the payment to Concerned teachers.

    ”Payment of salary to 2022 reabsorbed teachers, who have been working through January to December 2022 without salary,” he added.

    According to Lucky, based on these demands, the branch and state organs of the union requested to meet with the Council Chairman but he refused to meet with them.

    He affirmed that the union had directed all primary schools teachers in the area to stay away from their duty posts while parents were advised to keep their children and wards safe at home.

    All efforts by NAN to get Sabo’s comments proved abortive as he did not return various telephone calls made to his line, just as he did not reply two SMS messages sent to him.

    However, the Chairman of the FCT Universal Education Board, Alhassan Sule, said the board was doing everything humanly possible to amicably resolve the crisis.

    Sule said, ”And I was telling the chairman that he should not allow only his local government to experience such an unfortunate situation.

    ”We are on top of the situation and we will soon convene a meeting between the union, the Area Council and the board with a view to finding plausible solutions to the problem.

    ”Education is very crucial as it is the foundation of every development and the FCT is not handling it with kid gloves.”

  • CONUA to sue FG over withheld salaries

    CONUA to sue FG over withheld salaries

    …says union not part of strike 

    The Congress of University Academics has expressed its disappointment with the Federal Government, especially the Ministry of Labour and Employment, over the non-payment of its members’ withheld salaries “even when the government knew that the union did not call for strike action and its members were not involved in the strike action that lasted for eight months and which shut down the university system nationwide.”

    CONUA, in a statement on Tuesday, signed by its National President, Secretary and Publicity Secretary, Dr Niyi Sunmonu, Dr Henry Oripeloye and Dr Ernest Nwoke, respectively, said it was wrong for the FG to lump CONUA with members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities who went on eight months strike between February and October, 2022.

    The new union of lecturers thereby viewed to sue FG for withholding its members’ salaries.

    The statement partly read, “CONUA formally made its non-involvement in the strike known to the Federal Government in a letter addressed to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, in April 2022.

    “In the letter, we made it clear that because CONUA constituted a separate and independent union in the university system, our members did not call for any strike. This was followed by a Press Conference in Abuja on August 19, 2022 at which it was categorically stated that CONUA was not part of any ongoing strike, and that the “No Work No Pay” principle ought not to apply to members of the union.

    “CONUA’s expectation is that, due to the express and categorical declaration, the government would seamlessly release our members’ outstanding salaries when it resumed the payment of salaries to all university staff in October 2022. But to our dismay, CONUA members were also paid pro-rata salaries in complete disregard to the fact that we were indeed shut out of duties by the strike.

    “Subsequently, we wrote to the Accountant-General of the Federatıon and the Ministry of Labour and Employment reminding them that it was an error to lump our members with those that declared and embarked on strike action. It was yet another shock for the outstanding backlog of salaries not to have been paid to our members along with the November 2022 salary.”

    CONUA said the non-payment of “our withheld salaries” contravenes Section 43 (1b) of the Trade Disputes Act CAP. T8, which stated that “where any employer locks out his workers, the workers shall be entitled to wages and any other applicable remunerations for the period of the lock-out and the period of the lock-out shall not prejudicially affect any rights of the workers being rights dependent on the continuity of period of employment.”

    “This provision is consistent with global best practices,” it added.

    “From the foregoing and as a law-abiding union that pledged to do things differently, we have resolved to seek legal redress of the illegal withholding of our legitimate salaries by taking the matter to court in consonance with the rights enshrined in our laws,” the union said.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Abia yet to show commitment to doctors’ salaries

    Abia yet to show commitment to doctors’ salaries

    Sunday Nwakanma

    As the 21-day ultimatum given to the Abia State Government by medical doctors to pay Abia State University Teaching Hospital their salary arrears comes to an end, the government is yet to show any serious commitment to that course.

    In a communique issued at the End of an Emergency General Meeting of the Nigerian Medical Association, Abia State branch held at their Aba Zonal Secretariat, on Sunday, December 4, 2022, the doctors regretted the inability of the state government to honour that ultimatum.

    They noted that doctors working at ABSUTH and HMB are currently owed between 21 and 25 months and 13 months of salary arrears respectively.

    “The 21 days Ultimatum approved by the National Executive Council of NMA and given to the Abia govt on Nov 17, 2022, to clear the aforementioned salary arrears is currently in its 17th day.

    “That doctors working with ABSUTH and HMB are currently undergoing untold hardship.

    Following their deliberation on the above-mentioned, the NMA Abia State in their resolution signed by Dr. Abali Isaiah, the Chairman and Dr. Daniel Ekeleme, the Secretary, condemned in strongest terms the non-payment of the Doctors in ABSUTH and HMB adding, “Our Ultimatum to the ABSG still stands and running”.

    They insisted on the payment of what is owed to Doctors as a condition to avert the impending strike.

    According to them, “failure to meet the above-mentioned demands on or before 8th of December 2022 would force all Doctors in Federal, State, and private sectors in Abia State to proceed on total and indefinite strike.

    “The ABSG should be held responsible for any medical mishap that may occur during the period of industrial disharmony.”

    Copyright Reportr Door

    All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from Reportr Door.

    Contact: [email protected] 

  • Withheld salaries: Drama as FG may pay CONUA

    Withheld salaries: Drama as FG may pay CONUA

    The Federal Government has commenced plans to pay the Congress of University Academics their withheld salaries and rectify the “half salaries” paid to all lecturers under the newly registered union for the month of October 2022, Sunday PUNCH has reliably gathered.

    Sources familiar with the matter made it known to our correspondent on Saturday in Abuja.

    Sunday PUNCH reports that the lecturers under CONUA just like the Academic Staff Union of Universities had their salaries withheld following the invocation of the No-Work-No-Pay policy by the Federal Government during the height of the ASUU strike.

    Though the cordinator of CONUA, Dr Niyi Sunmonu, noted that members of CONUA were not on strike, the lecturers still had their salaries withheld.

    CONUA, a breakaway faction of the Academic Staff of Universities, was registered in October, 2022 by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.

    Ngige, who spoke during the presentation of certificates to CONUA and another association, the National Association of Medical and Dental Lecturers in Academics, noted the two unions would exist alongside ASUU in the university system.

    The minister had also gone ahead to challenge ASUU to move to the court of law if it was displeased with the registration of CONUA and NAMDA.

    Speaking to our correspondent, a source within the Ministry of Labour said, “The government will pay CONUA their withheld salaries; they wrote and it was proven that they didn’t join the strike. The minister has also approved it so yes, they will be paid. As for ASUU, I can’t say at the moment but be rest assured that CONUA members will have their withheld allowances and salaries released.”

    Confirming the development, the Coordinator of CONUA, Dr Niyi Sunmonu, said, ”We have been told to start some processes with some ministries and agencies which we have commenced and we are following up to ensure that the salaries are paid.”

    Sunday PUNCH reports that there has been controversies following the payment of half salaries by the government to members of ASUU.

    Defending the government’s decision, Ngige, in a statement on Saturday, noted that the government decided to pay the lecturers “pro-rata”.

    “They were paid in pro rata to the number of days that they worked in October, counting from the day they suspended their industrial action.

    “Pro-rata was done because you cannot pay them for work not done. Everybody’s hands are tied.”