Kogi workers are calling on Buhari to release N30.8bn bailouts to pay wage arrears

Kogi workers are calling on Buhari to release N30.8bn bailouts to pay wage arrears

Kogi workers have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to approve the release of the N30,8 billion balance of the bailout fund's state share for payment of their wage arrears.

Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) State Chairman Onuh Edoka made an appeal in Lokoja on Thursday at the State Chapter Delegate Conference of the Nigeria Senior Civil Servants Association (ASCSN).

He noted that the state government had embarked on "endless screening" of state workers, adding that the exercise had become exhausting, telling about the health of the workers who traveled to Lokoja for screening from many parts of the state.

Mr Edoka suggested that the federal government set up a committee comprising state and labor representatives to supervise Upon release, disbursement of the money.

The State Head of Service, Deborah Ogunmola, reported that 870 of the workers sacked in the wake of the 2017 screening had been reabsorbed by the state government.

Mrs Ogunmola, who was represented in her office by the Permanent Secretary at the event, Okeme Abdulahi, did not reveal the number of staff in the exercise.

However, she said the affected staff were those who questioned their educational qualifications during the exercise by the screening committee.

She promised that more workers would be reabsorbed as soon as they put their records straight, saying that reabsorption would be an ongoing exercise.

Mrs. Ogunmola also said the government had responded to the various institutions contacted, adding that the government had updated the workers ' screening reports.

The insinuation that the government embarked on endless screening was not correct, according to her, by the organized labor.

According to ASCSN National President Bobboi Kaigama, declaring the conference open, corruption had assumed "a large proportion" despite government efforts to tame it.

"The political class in Nigeria should know that if this beast is not decapitated, this country cannot be inspired to greatness," he said.

Mr Kaigama, represented by John Inalegwu, the association's National Treasurer, stressed the need to minimize corruption "in our system before it leads to catastrophic consequences."

Aaron Yusuff, who was re-elected as the ASCSN State Chairman, thanked the delegates for their support and trust in him.

He promised that welfare issues, particularly payment of salaries, regular promotion, training and training, would attract his attention during his new term in office.