Rabiu Omaku
- I won’t borrow money to pay salaries-Governor Sule
Governor Abdullahi Sule irked over the twist in the ongoing strike action in the state has directed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to submit the June attendance register to their respective Permanent Secretaries for onward delivery to the Head of Service.
This was part of the resolutions that arrived during an emergency, expanded Executive Council Meeting, to review the ongoing strike action by the organized labour, which held at the Government House, on Friday.
Engineer Abdullahi Sul e disclosed that he would not be distracted from his commitment to embark on projects that have a direct bearing on the lives of the people.
This was contained in a statement issued to the media, by Musa Dangana, Chairman, Nasarawa State Civil Service Commission, he said the council maintained its earlier position of the government, to invoke No-work-No-pay rule.
He uncovered that the salaries for the month of June 2021 are to be paid based on the attendance registers placed at various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
He averred that the State government expressed concern on misleading information, as contained in press releases issued by Labour Union officials, with intent to cause disaffection between government and law-abiding workers in the state.
The council, therefore, described as false, claims that the state government receives N4.5bn monthly from the federation account.
“I noted with dismay, the position of the Labour Unions, that government use available resources, to implement promotions and pay salaries only, rather than executing viable projects that have bearing on the lives of the citizens”.
The statement equally decried the continuous picketing of offices and harassment of workers from gaining access to their offices by the officials of Labour Unions, illegal removal of attendance registers in MDAs, as well as intimidations by union officials on members of NULGE, for failing to join the ill-conceived strike action.
The government added that essential services such as health and water supply will be rendered to the public, warning that any form of interference will not be tolerated.
It enjoined security agencies to continue to protect and safeguard all government establishments.
According to the statement, the government is opened to the removal of the clause in dispute, as contained in the agreement earlier presented, but that it will not hesitate to revert to the present salary template, in the event of a “substantial shortfall” from the federation account allocation.
“As a demonstration of goodwill and quest for harmonious government-labor relations, for the benefit of our people, the administration’s doors are open for continuous negotiations,” it added.
The statement said the government regretted the hardship and inconveniences, caused to the people of the state, as a result of the strike action.
Engineer Abdullahi Sule said the state government is not ready to borrow money to pay salaries, Urging civil servants in Nasarawa State to remain calm and resolute.
