Salaries: We won’t thumb up Bello until-Health workers

The Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria has said that although the Kogi state government used the N30.8 billion bailout for the payment of salaries, the union wouldn’t hail it until it fulfilled all the agreement it entered with Labour.

Its national vice-president, Comrade Onuh Edoka, who stated this Friday in Lokoja at the 14th Edition of North Central Zonal Conference of the union, said government was yet to release the 10 per cent of the fund kept aside to offset arrears of state workers salary.

“We must appreciate the state government over the bailout. The bailout was effectively used by government. Anyone who harbours contrary opinion should engage the government personally.

“However, we have declined to make a categorical statement on the usage of the fund as we should do because, government has not fulfilled all aspects of negotiations enter with labour before the release of the fund by CBN.

“Ten per cent of the money was reserved to tackle arrears of months when percentage salary were paid to the state workers,” he said.

Continuing, he said, “The government promised to pay in instalment from the 10% reserved, but they have not commenced. When that is done, we shall come out to make a definite statement.

“We have computed those months when percentage was paid. What is needed now to offset all arrears of state workers who are on the clear list is N2.8 billion.”

Also speaking, the Secretary to Kogi State Government (SSG), Dr Folashade Ayoade Arike, assured civil servants of its readiness to pay the minimum wage across board “as soon as the resources of the state improve.”

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