Civil servants in Kogi State can attest to the fact that the Capt Idris Wada administration considered payment of salaries as a matter of responsibility and ensured its regularity and which was always paid on or before the 25th of every month until recently.
The precarious economic challenges resulting from the decline in the international price of crude oil and its negative impact on the state’s allocation from the federation account is now threatening Wada’s avowed determination to make workers’ welfare a priority.
Kogi State has a workforce of over 30,000 with a total wage bill of about N3.2billion. Until April/May last year when the allocation came down to about N2.8/2.6 billion, the state workers who are said to be the highest paid in the region, had always had it good.
On assumption of office as governor, Capt Idris Wada inherited a number of personnel related problems, among which were unpaid salaries to teachers, arrears of salaries to local government workers, cases of ghost workers and unqualified persons using fake certificates to gain employment or earn outrageous salaries etc.
Several screening excersies were carried out to correct the over-bloated wage bill; but even at that, in 2012 Wada inherited the increased relativity and minimum wage to workers of the state.
Despite the huge bill, Wada did not look back; instead he ensured prompt payment of salaries, without having to lay off workers.
The challenges of a huge personnel cost, dwindling monthly allocation and uninspiring IGR, however didn’t deter the Wada administration from carrying out infrastructural development across the state.
Out of the N40billion earned by the state from the federation account in 2015, and N4billion from internally generated revenue, bringing the state total inflow to N44.7billion, the state expenditure in the year amounted to N46.8billion; thus leaving the government with a deficit of over N2billion.
A look at the break down of the analysis of expenditures for 2015 stands as follows : Salaries, N22.5 billion, pension and gratuity N4.2billion, while monthly imprest to MDAs stands at N1.8billion. The state’s Overhead and Capital expenditure was N11.5billion and N7billion respectively.
Kogi State was among the first states that applied for the federal government’s bailout. However, despite the CBN’s approval of a N50.9 billion loan to enable the state pay its workers– N5.9 billion at the state level and N45billion for the 21 local government councils, the state’s share was withheld for no reason other than political consideration .
Even though the state didn’t access the bailout funds which would have helped to clear the two month arrears to the state workers, the governor has managed the state’s resources in such a way to guarantee a fair deal for all, as the state is better placed in salary payment when compared to states that even collected bailout funds.
In his prudent management of the lean resources accruing to the state and concern for the welfare of workers, Gov Wada had to resort to taking overdrafts from the banks to augment federal allocation.
In view of recent political development, that is no longer feasible.
The banks stopped their facilities following the PDP’s defeat in the last election.
At a meeting with executives of organized labor in the state following their almost two weeks strike over non- payment of salaries, Capt Wada took time to explain in details the state of the state’s finances, an explanation that took Labour leadership by surprise.
They lamented their action and blamed it on misinformation.
While it is expected that as organised labor the interest and welfare of workers should be uppermost, the Kogi scenario is one that calls for a rethink and sober reflection.
The Labour’s action was ill timed, failing to recognize how the commonweal of 3.5million people has largely gone to the payment of their salaries alone.
Unlike the average Nigerian politician, Capt Wada is sincere and has remained transparent in making the resources accruing to the state available for all to know. We therefore seek for understanding on the part of Labour while we pray and hope that, like a phase– whether in the life of an individual, state or nation– this (hardship) too shall come to pass.
Abu Micheal, sent in this piece from Lokoja
