By Eberechi Obinagwam
Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, (ASCNSN), has challenged the federal government on its non-payment of gratuity to civil servants.
In a press briefing today, in Lagos, the acting National President of the union, Comrade Tommy Etim Okon, said the payment of gratuity to civil servants should be an important item in the workers entitlement.
He stated that the 2014 pension amendment Act did not stop the payment of gratuity, explaining that gratuity is a portion of the percentage of the amount being given to an employee after a period of service and that pension is tied to gratuity, but regrets that so many do not know it.
In his words he said: “Government no longer pay gratuity, it is an issue we must fight and get. If they want to amend the 2014 pension Constitution, it should be amended with the line of knowledge we have. We are calling for the amendment of the act. We are no longer safe; we are challenging the government with it.
“In this regard, we have advised our members to keep their records intact right from the day they joined service. It must be provided and if we get it right, we can now fight with it,”
On the issue of salary review which the acting president said his regime will see to, he said salary review is not something to be negotiated because it’s in Constitution. “It is supposed to be automatic. If it is five years that is stated in it when it is five years, the system should be able to pay at the set time, minimum wage notwithstanding. The federal government should know that the more they fail to pay, the more debt they accumulate.
“Government is hiding what we don’t know. They are supposed to keep to their agreement they kept to workers. Salaries are no longer negotiated. They should tell us when they are capable of paying, they should also be kind enough to tell us how much they spent to feed their dogs if they want to negotiate with it. The Nigerian civil servants are civilized now,” he said.