Bauchi state chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday decried the delay in payment of April salary of state civil servants, calling on the state government settle their entitlements without further delay.
The Organized Labour in Bauchi State chapter has decried the non payment of April salary by the state government and urged them to pay as soon as possible to ease workers tension in the state.
Mr Danjuma Saleh, the chairman of the Congress in the state, told newsmen in Bauchi that workers had been subjected to hardship, especially considering the fasting period.
Saleh also said when the organized labour met with the state government for inquiries, they were told that the delay was due to shortfall in the fund allocated to the state from the Federation Account.
“Just yesterday, labour was invited by the state government. Our assumption was to go there and engage in negotiation on the N30,000 minimum wage.
“However, we were all taken aback when we heard them complaining about money, that they did not have money to pay April salary, rather they gave us options to either pay us based on grade level, or pay us based on percentage.
“We disagreed with all this options and insisted that the government should not pay workers based on grade level or percentage because they (government) are in a better position to source for money and pay all the workers in the state,” he narrated
The chairman therefore called on the state government to sympathize with workers and source for money from all possible ways and pay workers latest Friday.
“All we are saying is that the government should source for money from all possible avenues and pay workers between now and Friday, otherwise we are going to meet again and decide the next line of action,” he warned.
When contacted by NAN, Alhaji Umar Sade, the Commissioner of information said the delay in the payment of April salary was as a result of shortfall in the federal allocation received by the state.
The commissioner reiterated willingness government to pay the salary, reminding the labour that in the past, the administration had cleared backlog of salary arrears it inherited from the previous regime.
Sade then urged workers to exercise patience, assuring that the problem would be sorted out.
