A middle-aged woman on Monday collapsed in one of the new generation banks in Minna, Niger State capital, after withdrawing her money.
The woman, who simply gave her name as Rakiya, also wept after she was revived.
She said that there was no food at home, prompting her to visit the bank for her salary to feed a family of five only to realize that she was only paid N2,000 as salary.
Rakiya lamented what she termed the insensitivity of the present government over the plight of Nigerians, especially workers in Niger State, whose salaries were slashed by the state government.
While Rakiya was crying, another customer said that he could only access N1, 000 which was all that he had and no hope of food for him and his family of three throughout the festive season and perhaps for the remaining days of the month.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Niger State chapter, has lamented the hardship civil servants were passing through in the state.
It said that the situation has caused its members heart attacks.
It would be recalled that the Governor Sani Bello-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government of Niger State, had earlier insisted on paying workers 70 per cent of their salaries, which was rejected by the workers union (NLC).
Meanwhile, the state NLC Chairman, Idris Ndako, in a circular to all affiliate unions, called on workers to mobilize members for industrial action on July 11, 2016 if the state government fails to rescind its decision to pay workers half salaries from the month of June.
The congress had expressed grave concerns over the ‘unilateral’ decision of the Governor Bello administration to cut salaries by over 50 per cent in the face of prevailing economic situation and in the wake of the Sallah festive period.
The state labour leader said, “Many civil servants were left with nothing after their loans were deducted.
“We are shocked by the harsh decision of the state government. I have a report about a worker that fainted when he received salary alert of N45, 000 instead of N90, 000, and when his bank deducted loans he was left with N250”.
Meanwhile, Niger State House of Assembly (NSHA) has condemned the 50 per cent slash in salaries of workers by the Governor Sani Bello-led administration despite the over N6.4 billion earlier approved loans to the state government expected to be partly used in settling salary arrears.
The legislature is also worried over Governor Bello’s insensitivity to the plights of workers even as the present administration did not inherit salary arrears from the immediate past administration of Dr. Babangida Aliyu.
Chairman House Committee on Labour, Productivity and Services, Abdulmalik Madaki Bosso, made the disclosure while addressing journalists in Minna over the plight of civil servants in the state under Governor Sani Bello administration.
“There is no justification cutting workers’ salaries in the name of setting aside monies to effect developments”, Madaki Bosso said, adding that the same state legislature also granted him N10 billion bailout for capital projects which has been accessed and cannot be accounted for as well recent N14.6 billion federal government support bailout funds in 2016 budget yet to be accessed which issue of salary was inclusive.
Bosso however called for immediate payment of workers balance of the 50 per cent as part of its resolutions, describing the governor’s action as, ‘illegal, inhumane and highly irresponsible and it is therefore condemnable’.
“The state government is therefore called upon to as a matter of urgency pay the balance of salaries of Public and Civil Servants in Niger state”, the member said as he requested the House leadership to immediately reconvene the house for emergency sitting to consider some issues presently causing havoc in the state.
“The House will equally invite the state Head of Service, Alhaji Muhammad Maude Lapai, to explain the action the state government has taken against civil servants. The house of assembly has expressed dismay and dissatisfaction over the matter because it is unlawful, breach of the constitution and gross violation of the law and regulations of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
