The two major labour unions in Bauchi state say they will soon meet to take a stand on the issue of the 41,000 workers who are not likely to be paid salary this month (October) and the suspension of some key local government senior staff by the state government.
In two separate statements last week, the state government had declared that, it will not pay October salary to any civil servant without BVN, in what it called an attempt to block leakages in state and local government payrolls.
While this generated heated debated in a state, the economy of which depends on salary payment, the government announced the suspension of education secretaries, local government primary healthcare directors and local government treasurers-to allow for unhindered investigation into the salary fiasco
The two unions-Nigeria Labour Congress NLC and the Trade Union Congress responded swiftly and asked the state government to rescind decisions recently taken, including the suspension of education secretaries, local government primary health care directors and local treasurers.
Speaking on live phone-in radio programme in Bauchi monitored by this medium, leaders of the NLC and TUC in the state Comrade Danjuma Saleh and Muhammed Usman, said they would convene a meeting of their various affiliates, to decide on the next lawful action to be taken.
They said the government did not consult or involve the labour unions in any of the two decisions, wondering why the government is still insisting on not paying the 41,000 workers despite reaching a temporary understand with them.
The two leaders wondered why the government suspended education secretaries, primary healthcare directors and the treasurers, when most of them don’t even receive monthly impress to run their offices.
“The government knew where and how the salary is being over bloated and by who. So, let them hit the nail with the right hammer”, declares Muhammed Usman of the TUC.
It is not clear when the two unions will meet and the decisions to be taken during the meeting.
