Workers celebrate May Day without salaries

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May 2, 2016 9:19 AM

Kaduna State workers have said that they celebrated May Day without receiving April salaries.

The government had in a statement issued by Nasir Ahmad El-rufai’s spokesman, Samuel Aruwan, on April 25, 2016, said it ‘pays April salary of state civil servants and delay LGAs till verification report is submitted.’

Speaking exclusively to Pulse at the Workers Day celebration held at Rangers Bees Stadium Kaduna on May 1, 2016, Kaduna State Chairman of the Trade Union Congress Comrade Shehu Mohd said no worker received his or her salary.

Some workers had told Pulse that apart from the non-payment of April salaries by the state government, many of its members have not received salaries since the government commenced its verification exercise over six months ago.

“What happened is unfortunate. Government came out to say they have paid April salaries. The workers are here. Ask anyone if he or she received their salaries. The story is the same. The government did not pay salary for April. None of the workers here received their salaries,” he said.

According to the TUC Chairman, since the commencement of the verification exercise embarked by government, many of its workers have not find it easy as they have encountered one needless problem or the other leading to non-payment of their salaries.

“Even though the verification exercise appears to be a good idea, the agony being faced by Kaduna workers is unfortunate. We have workers that have spent over six months without salaries. How do you want them to take care of their needs and that of their families?” The TUC Chairman asked.

Comrade Shehu Mohd said the government would have said it approved the payment of workers in the month of April rather than saying it has paid workers.

“The governor might have approved the payment but the commissioner of finance and other people responsible refused to pay the state workers. This is unfortunate,” The TUC chairman added.

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