EDO STATE GOVERNOR AND THE UNPAID EDO LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORKERS' WAGES

My interest in the agitation of the Edo State chapter of the National Union Of Local Government Employees, NULGE over unpaid salary arrears have led me to discover that the main reason why the employees of Local Governments in Edo State are being owed months of salaries and allowances is because former President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC who is currently the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole has been forcefully shortchanging all the Local Governments Councils in the state by 60% of their Federal Allocations. This is painful because only 40% of the month allocations manage to get to Local Governments accounts.

Recently, the Federal Government laudably decided to grant Local Governments the unprecedented privilege to borrow money from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN to pay all outstanding salaries and allowances owed all Local Government workers. I was perplexed to discover again that the same Governor has devise another trick to systematically steal the money the Edo Local Government Councils borrowed from the Central Bank at an interest rate of 9%. This is shameful!

It is on record that Mr. Adams Oshiomhole has recent been at the forefront of accusing the immediate past administration of the Federal Government of shortchanging the State and Local Governments in Nigeria only for us to discover that his claim is not backed by facts and evidence.

Inversely, Mr Oshiomhole is the sinner and guilty one here in his over-dramatized accusations of shortchanging; in this case, the Edo Local Governments by a margin as wide as 60%.

However, let this statement serve as a warning to the Edo State Government to steer clear of the current CBN loan granted the Local Governments in Edo State; including future loans and Federal Allocations.

Furthermore, let me notify that I shall continue to keep a watch on them and expose any future attempt to shortchange or misappropriate any fund meant for Edo Local Governments administration and worker's payment.

Finally, I expect that the Federal Government shall be notified by this writing of mine and consequently call the Edo State Governor, who has constituted himself as the Presidential spokesman, to order in the spirit of transparency. A worker deserves his/her wage.

Written by Mark Olise.