NLC threatens to disgrace governors owing salaries

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to name and shame state governors, who refused to pay complete salaries to workers in the country after receiving bailout funds.

Ayuba Wabba, president of the congress, said this at the national executive council meeting of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) on Tuesday in Abuja.

Wabba said some state governors have refused to effectively utilise both the bailout funds and the Paris Club refund given to them by the federal government.

According to him, 10 out of the 36 states are particularly guilty of the offence.

“The congress has directed all states chapters whose members are owed more than three months’ salaries arrears to declare an industrial action and we have promised to name and shame them,” he said.

“The states include Imo that has been paying workers’ salaries in percentage and has not declared utilisation of the bailout fund and Paris club refund.

“They paid 40 percent pension to their pensioners without their consent and provided a form for them to sign under duress. That is not allowed in law.

“We have Bayelsa which has between five to 10 months’ arrears, Ondo is owing between four and six, Ekiti, (five to eight), Benue (five to eight) and Kogi which is the worst case scenario.

“We have three categories of workers in Kogi. We have 40 percent that are being paid up to date, we have 25 percent that had not been paid between eight and sixteen months.

“We also have another 25 percent that have not been paid between eight and twenty-one months.

“In all the sectors, they have categorised the workers into three categories.”

The president also listed Osun, Ebonyi, Zamfara and Abia among those still owing salaries and have not implemented the 2011 national minimum wage for workers.