Niger State Lawmakers and Gov. Bello at loggerheads over salaries slash
Tue Jul 05, 2016 01:07:pm National
2.5K By Buchi Obichie
The decision taken by Niger State Governor, Abubakar Bello, to slash salaries of civil servants and legislators, was on Monday rejected by the Niger State House of Assembly.
Irked by the Governor's decision, the lawmakers directed him to refund the 50 percent balance of salaries of workers already deducted or face dire consequences.
Addressing journalists in Minna about the issue, the Chairman, House Committee on Labour and Productivity, Alhaji Abdulmalik Madaki, described the step taken by the Governor Bello, as 'unlawful and inhumane'.
Madaki declared that no one had the right to tamper with the salaries of civil and public workers, insisting that the salary slash was a gross violation of the law and Labour act.
According to him: "Our salary is based on law. The way the civil servants salaries were slashed was also the way salaries of the legislators was slashed into two. The issue of salary is regulated by the law and someone cannot just wake up one morning to slash the salaries without consultation with the House of Assembly."
Chiding the Governor further, Madaki wondered what Bello had done with the N14.6bn bailout funds from the Federal Government which was received few months ago; part of which the Governor was expected to use in offsetting the salaries of civil servant's.
"At the inception of this administration, the House of Assembly granted an approval to the state government to access a loan of N1.8 billion to enable it settle the arrears of salary for local government which was inherited from the past administration. The Federal Government also offered the state government N4.6 billion bailout loan to augment the shortfall from federation account which the House of assembly approved. If the Governor now says it has N3 billion overdrafts from banks, then where is the N4.6 billion? What was done with it?
"The sum of N10 billion bailout funds was also granted to the state by the Federal Government to enable it execute demanding projects. The State Government also generated revenue internally. The House believes that there is no need in any way to cut the salaries of public and civil servants by half."
While assuring workers that the issue would be addressed, the lawmaker stated that the State Assembly would reconvene from its recess for an emergency sitting to consider the issue.
Corroborating Madaki's position, another Lawmaker, Minority Leader of the House, Bello Ahmad also re-iterated the Assembly's resolve. He said: "If the Governor refuses to abide by the decision of the legislators to reverse to the full payment of salaries of the workers and Members the state assembly, we will take all necessary steps."
Irked by the Governor's decision, the lawmakers directed him to refund the 50 percent balance of salaries of workers already deducted or face dire consequences.
Addressing journalists in Minna about the issue, the Chairman, House Committee on Labour and Productivity, Alhaji Abdulmalik Madaki, described the step taken by the Governor Bello, as 'unlawful and inhumane'.
Madaki declared that no one had the right to tamper with the salaries of civil and public workers, insisting that the salary slash was a gross violation of the law and Labour act.
According to him: "Our salary is based on law. The way the civil servants salaries were slashed was also the way salaries of the legislators was slashed into two. The issue of salary is regulated by the law and someone cannot just wake up one morning to slash the salaries without consultation with the House of Assembly."
Chiding the Governor further, Madaki wondered what Bello had done with the N14.6bn bailout funds from the Federal Government which was received few months ago; part of which the Governor was expected to use in offsetting the salaries of civil servant's.
"At the inception of this administration, the House of Assembly granted an approval to the state government to access a loan of N1.8 billion to enable it settle the arrears of salary for local government which was inherited from the past administration. The Federal Government also offered the state government N4.6 billion bailout loan to augment the shortfall from federation account which the House of assembly approved. If the Governor now says it has N3 billion overdrafts from banks, then where is the N4.6 billion? What was done with it?
"The sum of N10 billion bailout funds was also granted to the state by the Federal Government to enable it execute demanding projects. The State Government also generated revenue internally. The House believes that there is no need in any way to cut the salaries of public and civil servants by half."
While assuring workers that the issue would be addressed, the lawmaker stated that the State Assembly would reconvene from its recess for an emergency sitting to consider the issue.
Corroborating Madaki's position, another Lawmaker, Minority Leader of the House, Bello Ahmad also re-iterated the Assembly's resolve. He said: "If the Governor refuses to abide by the decision of the legislators to reverse to the full payment of salaries of the workers and Members the state assembly, we will take all necessary steps."
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