Organized labour in Kaduna has commended Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State for his “demonstrated sensitivity” in paying a total sum of N29.1 million as compensation to the families of workers killed in a bomb blast in Zaria nine months ago, during workers verification. 20 people died in the incident on July 7, 2015 at the premises of Sabongari Local Government Secretariat in Zaria. Those affected were mostly local council workers from Lere and Kauru local Government Areas who travelled to Zaria for the mandatory verification of their employment status ordered by the governor.
In a statement by Comrade Issa Aremu, Secretary General Textile Workers’ Union who is also a NEC member of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), labour acknowledges what it describes as “sensitivity” of the Governor to the demands of trade unions in the state that families of the 20 dead workers were adequately compensated. Comrade Aremu agrees with the Governor that the group life insurance death benefit cheque presented to the families of the diseased cannot replace lives, but he added that “it nonetheless posthumously acknowledged the dignity of labour”. Labour however advised that in future all governments should be proactive in preventing “terrorists assault on working people assembled for whatever reasons by employers including government”.
DOUBLE SALARIES BY EX-GOVERNORS
Meanwhile Comrade Aremu has decried ex-governors turned senators and ministers who collect salaries and pensions simultaneous from ever dwindling public purse describing double compensations for any public office as “wage theft and robbery”.
Recently there was a media report that some State governments including those who are unable to pay salaries as at when due are spending billions of naira in pension payments to their former governors who are also drawing salaries from public purse as serving senators and ministers. Not less than 21 former governors and deputies in the Senate and President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet.
The Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) approves payment of 300 percent basic salary as severance allowances for political office holders on leaving office.
However, various state assemblies had approved a wide range of entitlements for ex-governors and their deputies.
Comrade Aremu says such “prohibitive double payments” for politicians is “greedy and unacceptable”. According to him legal cover for such addictive double payments for ex-governors even make the acts more criminal pointing out that as recommended by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) ex-governors are only entitled to approved payment of 300 percent basic salary as severance allowances on leaving office not pensions. Political offices as distinct from civil service work are ‘not pensionable and should not be” he said adding that the laws passed by states assembly on ex-Governors pensions if tested cannot hold.
