Salary Payment: Dickson's error in salary payment

Days after the Bayelsa State Government announce to pay the eight Local Government workers by cash payment in designated areas on Monday, 16th May 2016 in Yenagoa, the National Union of Local Government Employee (NULGE) alongside Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) has dissociate itself from what it called a unilateral decision.

This was contained in a statement released to journalists by the Joint State Executive Council (JSEC) signed by the State Secretary of NULGE, Comrade Tony Jaja and the State Secretary MHWUN, Comrade Arafat Letam Nwibani directing all the council workers in the areas to reject the proposed one month salary agenda and stay away from designated payment centres.

The statement directed workers to flood Yenagoa on Tuesday May 17, 2016 for a mass protest as agreed on the last JSEC meeting if government fails to clear its outstanding arrears.

They said the idea of asking the suffering workers to risk their lives, traveling to Yenagoa only to be paid paltry one month salary is unacceptable and wondered where government wants to take the remaining allocations to.

The Joint Council demanded that the payment should be according to the approved template wherein two to three months will be paid upon identification and clearance since the allocation of January, February, March and April 2016 are claimed to be kept safe in the JAAC account.

Workers have called on the civil society, sympathizers as well as supporters to come out in mass and join the protest against injustice and inhuman treatment inflicted on them even after completing all process of verification.

It would be recalled that after the meeting between Government and NLC in Government House recently which ended in a deadlock, Hon. Dickson unofficially said if the unions can mobilize, he also can mobilize.

Meanwhile the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Jonathan Obuebite at the end of an Executive Council meeting on Wednesday May 11, 2016 opined that the workers will convey in designate areas amidst tight security and payment will be made.

Obuebite said the payment would have been done in the different Local Government Areas but to save time, after wide consultations from security personnel, they have decided to make it in the capital.

He debunked claims from some quarters that the money meant for payment of salaries have been diverted for other purposes, noting that the process will commence on Monday May 16, 2016 .

Earlier, the Head of Service, Mr. Peter Singabele said the council resolved that the delay was due to the verification exercise to properly ascertain the number of workers at the Local Government Council which has been done.

Singabele stated that the designated areas for payment are Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha Banquet Hall, Peace Park, Gabriel Okara Cultural Centre, the Izon-Wari and Samson Siasia Sports Complex Yenagoa. He added that, it’s not just about the delay, but to ensure that the right persons are paid.

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