By our reporter
It has been a cacophony of dissent as staff across the 31 Local Government Councils in Akwa Ibom State bemoan the unsolicited deduction of money from their salaries for the purported construction of an event centre by the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees(NULGE), the body that represents the Local government workers in the NLC.
This is the sequel to a notice in circulation to all local governments informing them of a planned deduction from their salaries based on salary grade levels, a move which is said to have been endorsed by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Mr. Frank Archibong and The Chairman Akwa Ibom Local Government Service Commission Mr. Monday Eyo.
Reports from meetings held by selected local governments chapters of the union with staff across the state have voiced their rebuttals in different shades of opinions.
Whereas civil servants are already going through hard times following the removal of subsidies, the increase in the price of petroleum products, and the high cost of living and transportation, it is inhuman for the LG Workers Union to abandon its primary responsibility of seeking the welfare of its members as laws establishing it specifies and allows, to go into “investments” or running as an independent business enterprise without the consent of or consultation with staff of the LG Service who form the nucleus of membership of the Union or an appropriate legal backing and opined that it is appalling the select individuals will sit somewhere and decree what they termed good for the generality of the members, thus dragging them into financial responsibility for such ventures without first negotiating the terms with the members.
Also read: Akwa Ibom Teachers Weep, Disappointed in Gov’t Over 2021 Teachers Promotion Arrears, SSEB Forfeits 3yrs Cash Benefits
The workers, who expressed gratitude to the State Governor Pastor Umo Bassey Eno for his magnanimity for clearing, within 60 days of assuming office, two years’ leave grants owed LG staff, subsequent approval of remedial funds as palliative to all civil servants including LG staff pending a substantive new minimum wage implementation and especially the13th-months salary (EnoMber), said they were appalled that a union which should have advocated its welfare, especially the current minimum wage negotiation, seems to be frustrating the governor’s effort at ameliorating the suffering of LG staff by bringing in deduction to the salaries said that apart from such being a clear lack of empathy on the path of the union leadership, is ill-timed, insensitive, retrogressive, suppressive and inconsiderate to say the least. The LG Workers added that apart from the economic reasons, some of them have running loans, some have rents that are due or just renewed rents, and paid school fees of children while others who just got transferred are yet to get accommodation and are paying high transport fares to and from work and wondered if the union leadership considered such factors, even as the current salary hardly take them home. and urged Nulge to stand down such deductions and instead engage in the minimum wage negotiation processes as a more appropriate welfarism pursuit.
