NLC, TUC, others hail Buhari

APC, PDP clash

WORKERS were yesterday in high spirits over President Muhammadu Buhari's N713.7 billion bailout for states to pay outstanding salaries. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC),hailed the president's action.

The NLC urged Buhari to ensure that the governors spend the money on salary arrears.

It warned against "a situation that the governors that could not manage their allocation properly will be rewarded by being given special recognition".

The General Secretary of the Congress, Dr. Peter Ozon-Eson, said: "Our appeal is that Mr. President should please prevail on the governors to ensure that when they get these sharing they should not again blow it on other things. The first priority must be defraying the arrears of salaries and pensions of pensioners who have not been paid for 11 to 12 months. "

Ozon-Esson, who is also the NLC chief economist, said the congress was happy about the Federal Government's intervention, recalling that the congress presented the debt profile to the Presidential Transition Committee.

In the three-pronged bailout plan is the N413.7billion special intervention fund, the N413.7b ($2.1b) Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) proceeds and a N300b Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) intervention loan.

Federal workers who are being owed are also to benefit from the plan. But labour officials warned the state governments against misapplying the cash. Deputy President of the factional NLC Comrade Isah Aremu said: "President Buhari has been very vocal since he assumed office in making a case for workers to be paid as at when due.

"President Buhari once said that it is a disgrace that Nigerian states could not pay salaries. So, what he has done now is that he has commendably walked his talk. He has also shown that if there is a will, there will always be a way. "Now, the defaulting governors must learn from the President's approach - that you don't have any excuse not to pay workers' salaries. He has shown that no reason can justify why workers are not paid.

"The governors must also prioritise their needs henceforth in a way that workers are given priority and not rely on the President to give them bailout from the Federation Accoun". Aremu said labour was happy that Buhari already living up to his mandate, adding that what is important now is for it to be sustained.

He called on the Federal and state legislatures to rise up to the challenge of making good laws and exercising their oversight functions creditably. The National Union of Pensioners (NUP) urged the Federal Government to include state pensioners as beneficiaries of the bailout.

The General Secretary, Elder Actor Zal, said: "While we commend the historic effort of the Federal Government, it is equally instructive that we demand the bailout to include the payment of pension arrears in all the states of the federation."

According to him, pensioners are owed arrears of pensions and gratuities for many months in many states. Zal urged Mr. President to instruct the governors to use this fund judiciously and ensure that all pensions' arrears are settled without further delay. He went on: "Consequently, we appeal to the Federal Government to do same to all pensioners in the country who are being owed backlog arrears of their pensions. Especially, the 42 months arrears of the 33% pension increase, gratuities and death benefits of federal pensioners across the country.

"The Federal Government should release the N218 billion needed by Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) to clear all those backlog of unpaid pension at once."

Kogi State NLC Chairman Comrade Onuh Edoka praised the initiative and expressed the hope that the state governments would not misapply the fund. He said other entitlements being owed the workers over the years should be paid.

"When we are talking about salary indebtedness other entitlements of the workers, such as leave bonus, which is an equivalent of one month salary, and arrears of promotion owed to workers, should be considered.

"Those are all indebtedness to workers in the case of the fund for bailout, which is coming and which the state governments are supposed to consider. "In essence, Kogi is owing more than one month salary, considering the other entitlements that are supposed to go to workers.

"First and foremost, the organised labour in Kogi are indeed grateful for the bailout. And we promise to put up a committee, which will be led by the NLC in Kogi State to liaise or facilitate that the indebtedness to Kogi workers are paid, and we are equally appealing to the state government to judiciously utilise the fund for what it is meant for, or any attempt to divert to any other purpose will lead to industrial crisis in Kogi State.

"However, we have no doubt in the ability of the governor as a God-fearing governor, that he will use the money for the purpose meant for, as to sustain the industrial peace in the state before now."

The Kwara State chapter of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) also hailed the plan. The Chairman of TUC in the state, Comrade Olumoh Kolawole thanked the president for coming to the rescue of the governors. He was optimistic that the state governments will use the funds judiciously.

"I believe and hope that all the state governments, including Kwara State that is owing workers two months salaries, will use the monies as expected," Kolawole added.

The Ondo State Chairman of the NLC, Mrs Bosede Daramola, described the step as "a welcome development" which has brought relief to workers in the public sector. Mrs Daramola urged the affected governors to pay their "pauperised workers" as a matter of urgency, especially those in need of medication.

The NLC chair warned the governors not to divert the money on projects. She called for the payment of salaries, allowances and other entitlements to workers and pensioners.

The leader of the Trade Union Congress in Osun State, Comrade Akinyemi Olatunji, urged the government to spend the money to offset the workers' salary arrears.

According to him, the cash is for workers' salaries.

Olatunji advised the state government to look inwards and design a strategy to increase its internally generated revenue? (IGR) to forestall salary delay, adding that the bail out is only a short term measure.

He expressed gratitude to the President for coming to the rescue of states.