Governors didn't need Buhari to remind them about Christmas pay

When members of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) stepped into Aso Rock for a routine cap-in-hand session with the president this week, they were told by the host to ensure that workers are paid in time for the Christmas festivities.

“For Nigerians without sources other than their salary, I am concerned that workers should be able to pay rent, school fees, buy drugs and take care of their families. I am so much concerned that people should have something to eat at Christmas”, President Muhammadu Buhari told State Governors who were in his space to collect more money.

In response, the Governors asked the president to make a commitment that refunds from London/ Paris club loans will hit their bank accounts in time for Christmas and next year’s appropriation.

Condition

“Yes, with the Paris Club coming, every worker should enjoy his/her Christmas”, Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha of the statue erecting famesaid, as though without the Paris Club refunds, life on earth as we know it, will ground to a halt.

Okorocha added that; “the president has expressed the need to ensure that every Nigerian especially the workers have a beautiful Christmas and the issue of outstanding Paris Club was discussed and that was taken care of.

“We also made a request for Mr. President’s approval so that the balance should form part of our 2018 budget, because we can’t include it, until we are sure that the money is coming. That was also sorted out.

“So, as it is now, the issue of workers took the centre stage and Mr. President was concerned about those who depend on their salaries to feed their families and pay their house rent and he had the assurance from the Governors that we will meet up those obligations”, he said.

'Irresponsible' Governors

That workers across Nigeria won’t have money to feed themselves and their families at Christmas and beyond, is a valid concern.

One man took his life in Kogi a few weeks ago because he was owed backlog in salaries. Okorocha would rather erect statues and monuments than pay civil servants. Most State Governors owe civil servants backlog in salaries, they are not even ashamed to admit it.

ALSO READ: President directs Governors to pay workers' salaries before Christmas

The reality is that millions of civil servants across Nigeria are going to have a blue Christmas and an even bleaker new year because State Governors have constituted themselves into a pressure group who would do everything else but pay people their hard earned monthly wages.

As purchasing power suffers across the country and income inequality widens; amid worsening inflation, State Governors have been carrying on as though they couldn’t be bothered.

It's the height of irresponsibility and wickedness not to pay people agreed wageswhen due.

Only a handful of States like Kaduna, Lagos and Kano, have no salary arrears to clear.

The president did the right thing by reminding Governors of their statutory obligation--something they shouldn’t be reminded of in the first instance.

Merry Christmas, Nigeria.