Monitor N713bn bailout to states, MDAs, civil servants beg FG

Civil servants have advised the Federal Government to monitor the states to ensure that the N713.7 billion grant for payment of workers’ outstanding salaries arrears was used judiciously.

The employees under the aegis of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) gave the advice in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Mr Alade Lawal, in Lagos, yesterday.

The association, in the statement, alleged that some state governors had concluded plans to divert the fund meant to settle the salary arrears for private purposes.

“It is not business as usual. This is why we are requesting that the presidency should set up necessary machinery to monitor the disbursement of the funds to ensure that it is used to pay salaries and allowances.

“It will be a tragedy if this humongous sum of money is diverted to private pockets and not used to pay public servants their salaries and allowances.

“It is sad that some are being owed outstanding for more than nine months,” it said.

The statement said that the state governments should be encouraged to imbibe the culture of financial prudence and discouraged from embarking on white elephant projects.

It said that the Federal Government should make it clear to the states not to develop the mentality of waiting for bailout funds in crisis situations.

The statement urged the Federal Government to use the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to supervise the bailout that would accrue to some federal MDAs.

It said this would ensure it was used to settle workers’ salaries and allowances.

The statement added that arrears of allowances owed federal public service employees include allowances but are not limited to promotion arrears outstanding since 2007 and 1st 28 days in lieu of hotel accommodation.

Others it said are duty tour allowance (DTA), mandatory training allowance for the training organised by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) in 2010, burial expenses and repatriation allowance.