**Say President insensitivity to workers’ plights
Some civil servants have accused President Bola Tinubu-led administration of being insensitive to workers’ plights.
The workers through their umbrella bodies made the accusation over recurrent delay in payment of their salaries, wage award and other emoluments.
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, specifically expressed discontent over the delays in payment of monthly salaries to civil servants.
Speaking with News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday, Tommy-Etim Okon, President of ASCSN said government should be prompt in payment of salaries and emoluments of workers.
He said, since President Tinubu assumed office, the payments of monthly salaries and emoluments of workers were not done on time, thereby affecting productivity and their well being.
According to him, government should be sensitive to the plights of the workers considering the economic hardship in the country.
“Everyday the cost of living is skyrocketing, how will workers pay for their transportation to the office, how will the economy and other industries survive, if there is no exchange of money.
“Today is the 7th of February, and I can categorically tell you that a lot of workers are yet to receive their salaries,” he said.
Mr Okon said, even the monthly wage award promised to federal government workers to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal was not paid as of when due.
“When we brokered and arrived at N35,000 wage award, government promised to pay for six months before the implementation of the new national minimum wage.
“But as I speak, government had only paid for the months of September and October last year, this means that November, December, 2024 and even January are still outstanding.
“Upon assumption of office, this administration promised to ensure that workers will be paid as of when due with good incentives but the reverse is the case.
“If the government cannot pay N35, 000 wage award in this situation, I wonder how they can convince us that they will keep to the promise of giving workers a living wage,’’ he said
Mr Okon, therefore, called on President Tinubu to be sensitive to workers’ plights and the masses in general, by expediting action on economic policies, beneficial to their well being
Similarly, Olorunsuyi Ademola, the Branch Chairman, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, National Mathematical Centre, said the government should show concern to workers on the high cost of living in the country.
Mr Ademola said the present administration should be sensitive to the plight of workers considering the effects of removal of fuel subsidy and the high exchange rate of naira to dollar, among others.
“The economic policies, though desirable, have negatively impacted the standard of living of Nigerian worker.
“It is unimaginable that with the sufferings brought about by these policies, the salary and emoluments of Nigerian worker’s are being delayed beyond expectations,” he said
Mr Ademola said that the 25 per cent salary increase approved by the government for the university sector that was supposed to take effect from January 2023 was yet to be implemented.
Daily Nigerian
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