Pay salary arrears before leaving office, civil servants tell governors

“Today they (governors) are owing workers because they believe they don’t need the mandate of the people again.”

News Agency of Nigeria • February 10, 2023

State Governors

The Association of Senior Civil Servants in Nigeria has called on state governors to settle all outstanding salaries of their workers before they leave office on May 29.

President of the association, Tommy Etim-Okon, made the call at the quadrennial conference of the association in Plateau.

Mr Etim-Okon, represented by Chukwuma Igbokwe, assistant secretary general of the association, said that most governors paid arrears of salaries in their first tenure but failed to do so in their second terms.

He added that clearing salary arrears by governors would enable their successors to begin their administration on a clean slate.

“Majority of these governors who are owing workers today cleared salary arrears they met on the ground, but today they are owing workers because they believe they don’t need the mandate of the people again,” Mr Etim-Okon. “We are using this medium to appeal to the governors to pay workers their outstanding salaries before the expiration of their tenure on May 29.”

The national president also advised the federal government to extend the retirement age of civil servants to 65 years. He also seized the opportunity to appeal to the federal government to address the challenge of fuel scarcity and non-availability of new naira notes, adding that the trend had thrown Nigerians into untold hardship.

He explained that the delegates’ conference was an opportunity for association members to interact and discuss issues that affect them.

Sunday Hyat, the Plateau head of civil service, said the hiccups faced in paying salaries were due to shortfall and decline in revenue accrued to the state.

However, Mr Hyat added that the state was currently up-to-date in paying salaries and pensions. He announced that the state government was working out good incentives for its civil servants and pleaded with the workers to be patient.

The chairman of the association in Plateau, Titus Malau, called on the state government to address the variations in salary structure, ensure the regular promotion and prompt payment of promotion arrears.

(NAN)

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