By James Jibril
The Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai has approved the payment of N1.382bn as end of year salary bonus to civil servants in the state.
According to a press statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communications, Muyiwa Adekeye, civil servants in the state will receive bonuses ranging from 100% of monthly pay for junior civil servants to 30% for senior civil servants.
The statement further explained that the end of year bonus is part of the state government’s efforts to boost morale and enhance the welfare of civil servants in Kaduna State.
“Under the scheme, workers from Grade Levels 1-7 will be paid 100% of their monthly salary as bonus. Middle level civil servants from Grade Level 8-13 will get 40%, while senior officers on Grade Level 14 and above will receive 30% of their monthly earning.
“The 2021 end of year bonus will cost the state N1.382bn,” Muyiwa stated.
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Reacting to the development, a civil servant in the State who would not want his name mentioned said that 13th month salary is ordinarily a right of workers but some state governors always shy away from it to the detriment of workers.
He commended the Kaduna State government for the initiative but quickly drew his attention to the issues of insecurity that are ravaging the State.
“The issues of insecurity must be critically looked into and something urgent should be done for a lasting solution. The world has gone beyond inclination and affiliation to religion, tribe, tradition, culture and politics, to humanity first,” he said.
Though the Kaduna State Government was the first government, national or subnational, to comply with payment of new national minimum wage in September 2019, reports have it that salaries of some teachers in the State were slashed and many are still being owed October and November 2021 salaries.
Meanwhile, the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma has earlier announced plans to pay 13th month salary as end of year bonus to workers in the State.
This was contained in a press statement signed by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser, Mr. Oguwike Nwachuku, on Monday in Owerri.
The statement also noted that deserving civil servants will be promoted and all outstanding salaries and pensions will be cleared.
”All verified 43, 000 workers without issues will never be owed salaries by this government because we do not regard payment of salary as achievement by any governor, the worker deserves his wage.
“Promotion issues will be looked into as long as the workers remain committed and we want you to desist from blackmailing government,” the statement said.
While commending the Governor, the State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, Rev. Philip Nwansi expressed confidence that all unpaid salaries and pensions will be taken handle by the “workers-friendly” Governor.
