Trade Union Congress has said respite will come the way of government workers soon, with the plan to prosecute chief executives of government ministries, departments and agencies who fail to pay their salaries.
The National President, TUC, Mr. Peter Esele, while reacting to a bill at the House of Representatives, which seeks to sanction employers for failing to pay salaries promptly, told our correspondent on Saturday that it was criminal to withhold workers’ salaries.
He said it was time for erring employers to be prosecuted like in the US and other civilised countries.
Esele said “We are very happy about it and we are looking forward to it becoming a law because a lot of employers have no respect for workers’ rights and dignity. There are companies that owe six to seven months (salary); it is everywhere and it is in all sectors.”
He said heads of MDAs should be prosecuted where there are irregularities in the payment of government workers. He attributed such irregularities to corruption in the civil service.
“There are agencies of the state responsible for payment of salaries. Whoever is the chief executive should be held responsible. Because there’s an annual budget that takes care of salaries, what some of them (executives) do is that when the money comes in, they will put it in fixed accounts to get bank interests.
“The money can be there for three months to earn interests before they think of paying workers their salaries,” Esele added.
The bill, sponsored by the House Minority Leader, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, suggests penalties such as loss of 10 to 20 per cent of the value of the delayed salary. It also proposes that underpayment of workers’ wages; pension and emolument will attract sanctions.
