Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Delta State Government on Friday said the impending slash in the salaries of political appointees and civil servants has become inevitable in order to sustain public spending.
The pay cut, Saturday Sun gathered, will see the reversion to the old wage of N18,000.00 for some categories of workers in the civil service.
Explaining the rational behind the policy, Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Chiedu Ebie said there is a sharp drop in revenues accruing to the state due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has negatively affected the national economy.
Ebie told a press conference in Asaba that the cut in salaries was temporary, and would be a period of six months beginning from this month.
He listed the category of workers to be affected by the pay cut policy to include political appointees and level 07 to 17 in the civil service, exempting front line health workers and civil servants on level 01 to 06.
Ebie said the policy is without prejudice to other staff entitlements such as promotions and/or advancement to deserving workers.
“We therefore urged the state workforce and political appointees to see this as a necessary sacrifice and contribution by them towards cushioning the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the finances and overall economy of the state,” Ebie pleaded.
Ebie who spoke alongside the state Head of Service, Reginald Bayoko; state chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Bolum Martins; Joint Negotiating Council, Onyia Ike; Commissioner for Finance, Fidelis Tilije; and his information counterpart, Charles Aniagwu, said the organized labour was widely consulted before the decision was taken.
Chairman of TUC, Mr. Bolum confirmed that labour leaders in the state were particularly part of the engagements that gave birth to the pay cut policy, urging workers to show understanding with the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration.
In his remark, Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Tilije disclosed that the monthly wage bill of the state is about N7.7 billion for about 48,000 workers.
Tilije said the state workforce constitute just one percent of the total population of the state, noting that there was need to free resources for other sectors that will benefit the generality of the people.
On his part, Commissioner for Information, Aniagwu reiterated that the monies to be deducted from workers’ salaries in the next six months will not be refunded in form of arrears when the state’s economy improves.