It is pertinent to remind the leaders of the ruling All Progress Congress (APC) that it is disheartening that in spite of the effort made by President Muhammadu Buhari in sending bailout funds to all states to pay off the outstanding salaries and arrears of the workers, the current situation is still worrisome in some of the states.
President Buhari once said, “I am worried that states are unable to pay workers’ salaries.” On that basis, he sent double bailout funds to all states to pay all outstanding salaries and allowances of the workers. The monthly statutory allocation from the Federation Account has also been regular since the beginning of this administration. Likewise, the recently released Paris Club refunds were meant to clear these outstanding workers’ salaries. But reports say no fewer than 12 states still owe their workers a backlog of salaries and allowances.
It is very sad to hear that all these intervention funds have been diverted for other purposes by various states governors leaving the poor workers to suffer most. These people voted en masse for the ruling party in order to get rid of bad leaders created by the PDP, who were less concerned about the welfare of the people. They though that things would get better if the new party came to power. Today, the leadership of the party which is seeing what is happening seems to be comfortable by not taking any action. There is no supervisory organ or monitoring group from either the government or party to look into the plight of the workers. And no governors were called to order. Things now look as if the leadership of the ruling party is making mockery of the workers who voted overwhelmingly for the party.
It is imperative for the leadership of the party to heed to advice by taking urgent steps to do needful. It should constitute a monitoring team to checkmate these governors in order to settle all outstanding salaries arrears and allowances of these state workers as soon as possible. A stitch in time saves nine.
► Adeyemi Omotunde wrote via [email protected]