Employees in Kwara State are calling on Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to investigate the Office of the Accountant-General for the inconsistent payment of the palliative award to workers.
This appeal comes after the recent announcement by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq regarding a ten thousand naira palliative award for workers in response to the removal of fuel subsidy.
In conversations with RoyalFM News, an anonymous worker from the educational sector expressed concerns over the irregularities in the payment of the palliative award.
The worker alleged that some individuals in the educational sector have yet to receive the wage award and urged the state government to increase the palliative allowance to thirty-five thousand naira.
“Workers in Kwara State were expecting the N35,000 wage award for all categories of worker in the state, which is yet to be paid by the state government. It’s so difficult for us to meet the needs of our family members. It has been so difficult, things are so expensive, so we are expecting the government to help us out by paying N35,000 wage award. Even the agricultural sector, we’re supposed to be collecting hazard allowance. It’s not there. The government is not paying hazard allowance for the _ workers. They have not been paid since.”
Echoing similar sentiments, a worker from the agricultural sector reiterated the demand for an increase in the palliative award to thirty-five thousand naira. She also lamented the absence of hazard allowance payments to workers in the sector since the commencement of the current administration.
“Look at our primary schools, both teaching and non-teaching staff of those schools, some are being owed like two years in arrears of promotion. Some are being promoted without cash-backing till date. In fact, teachers and the non-teachers are being owed some certain months of perforated salaries during the last era and up till now, the government has not attended to it. As we speak, those workers working in colleges of education, polytechnics and state-owned universities have not been paid anything called palliative. Unfortunately even at the core civil service, the information I got yesterday indicated that some got, even the one they are just paying now, and some have not gotten it. The one they got, it’s like paying few and leaving few, like sampling payments. His excellency may not be aware of it and we’re bringing it to him to call the office of _ general ti ask questions on why this is happening.”
Responding to the challenges faced by the workers, Comrade Isaiah, the scribe of the union, appealed for patience, indicating that the labor union is actively negotiating with the state government, despite the government’s lack of response to their letters.
“The labour leader in the state. We are doing our best. I have discussed some issues that borders on the welfare of the workers in the state. Several letters have been written. There has been no response. We continue to plead with them to exercise restraint, to exercise caution. It’s just like you are at a negotiating table. Even though they have not responded, we will take it as if it’s a negotiation. Negotiation is ongoing. One day, I believe they will respond to our agitation.”
However, efforts to obtain comments from the Chief Press Secretary to the state government, Rafiu Ajakaye, were unsuccessful as calls went unanswered.
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