The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), has revealed that implementation of the new national minimum wage by the Ondo state government will not lead to the retrenchment of workers.
It said Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has expressed his readiness to pay workers in Ondo state the new wage when passed into law.
Comrade Bola Taiwo, the NULGE President in Ondo state, who spoke at a media parley in Akure, the Ondo state capital, disagreed with governors who said the new minimum wage if implemented would lead to disengagement of workers.
The Union’s leadership also appealed to governor Akeredolu to ensure that 2018 promotion letters of local government workers are handed over to the deserving workers without further delay to enable them sustain their unalloyed support for the state government.
He noted that state governors in the country have what it takes to pay N30,000 as the new Minimum wage, said releasing the 2018 promotion letters of local government workers would boost the morale of the deserving members.
Taiwo explained that governors must set their priority right in governance so as to be able to pay, saying government spending on frivolities should be reduced.
He advised the Senate to approve the new National Minimum wage bill as passed by the House of Representatives to enable President Muhammadu Buhari give assent.
Flanked by the state publicity secretary, Comrade Tayo Omodara and the Union’s Board of Trustees Chairman, Comrade Tope Gbangba, the NULGE said: “On the issue of the N30,000 minimum wage, we believe the state can pay it. The governor here said he can pay but he said we should come to work regularly.
“Let me tell you, these governors can pay the money but they spend our money anyhow. We have salary commission and what they should do is that with the help of the constitution, let Salaries be first charge in the tiers of government”.
“When it get to the FAAC ,let them remove salaries of these tiers of government,then they should distribute the rest. It is what you have that you will spend”.
Taiwo said, “If a governor can pay N1.2 billion, N800 million as security votes. A governor can pay ,the only thing we should is that lets get back to the Constitution, replan and enforce the salary commission to take salaries as first charge”.
While reiterating the Union’s stand on autonomy for the local government, the NULGE President condemned the idea of appointment of caretaker committees for the running of the local government , saying it alien to nation’s constitution.
Taiwo urged the National Assembly to amend the constitution that would allow Salary commission in the country to deduct directly the salaries of the three tiers of government during the monthly Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting.
“I believe that local government autonomy is very important. We have financial autonomy, administrative autonomy and we have political autonomy.
“In the political autonomy, the appointment of caretaker committees for the local government we don’t like it. It is an aberration to our constitution and also to our development. They should stop it and allow INEC to conduct the election,the autonomy will come.
“We have also financial autonomy,they should allow our money to come directly to the purse of local government. We should preside over our money not another ministry doing that for us.
“The Senate when approving can make some amendment in our constitution by enforcing the salary commission to remove during FAAC to remove the whole salaries of the three tiers of government at first charge. If they do that ,the way and manner they(governors) spend our money will reduce”.
Taiwo commended the state governor, Akeredolu for prompt payment of salaries especially the outstanding arrears, revealing that five of the seven months arrears had been paid by the present administration.
The NULGE boss also expressed satisfaction with the ongoing massive roads construction and rehabilitation across the eighteen local government areas.
YOMI AYELESO, Akure
