Man cries out to Buhari over withheld N3m salaries, others

By Ummi Ismaeel, Minna
A former staff of the Federal Ministry of Information, Mr. Emmanuel Aruwa, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to compel the Ministry of Fnance to release his backlog of salaries and retirement benefits being withheld by the relevant ministries.
Aruwa said that the continued withholding of his salary arreas and other entitlements, amounting to over N3 million by the ministry he worked and retired from, has made life unbearable for him and his family and other dependants.
He lamented that he suffered an ailment which almost ended his life because he had no money to seek proper medical attention or pay hospital bills, stressing that his immediate and extended family members also suffer same fate being the head of the family.
According to him, the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture refused to pay his entitlements after his retirement in November, 2015, adding, “I almost died because I had no money to go to hospital, the ailment later degenerated into stroke, one side of my body went dead, it was only God that saved me”.
Aruwa said that his problems started in August 2013 when over 1, 200 federal staff from different ministries were sacked, 200 of them from the Federal Ministry of Information were affected, but after recalling others he was left to suffer without pay for years now.
A number of reasons was given but after entreaties to effect their recall and reinstatement through due processes, Aruwa said the then Head of Service also set up a Presidential committee which also approved that they all be paid.
Close to three years now, the ministry is still withholding his salaries and retirement benefits amounting to millions of Naira. Aruwa said he called on the Presidency to intervene by mandating whoever is responsible for withholding the money to release his entitlements without further delay.