Labour unions in Nigeria are urging the federal government not to allocate workers’ salaries to local governments.
This follows the Supreme Court’s ruling granting financial autonomy to these entities.
The unions, including the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), and the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), are concerned that transferring salary management to local governments may jeopardize timely payments to workers.
In their seven-point proposal, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) stressed the necessity of establishing a reliable system for salary and pension payments.
They recommended that all local government salaries be managed by the Local Government Service Commission, with designated funds allocated for training and operational expenses.
To maintain stability, the JAC has also called for a one-year freeze on new hiring of local government staff and teachers.
This measure aims to allow local governments to focus on developmental projects and improve service delivery.
The unions also called for conducting a comprehensive audit to accurately assess the number of workers, teachers, and pensioners across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.
This audit is crucial for ensuring effective service delivery and community development.
To enhance oversight of local governments, the JAC proposed involving local government chairmen, heads of unions, and other relevant stakeholders in the supervisory process.
They also advocated for expanding the Local Government Service Commission and other governing boards to include representatives from local government associations and teacher unions.
For worker welfare and industrial harmony, the JAC outlined specific financial allocations.
They propose that the gross salary of local government workers be managed by the Local Government Service Commission, with two percent of the total local government allocation for running grants and training directed to this commission.
The gross salaries of primary school teachers should be managed by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), with 1.5 percent of the total local government allocation for SUBEB running grants allocated accordingly.
Additionally, 25 percent of the gross salaries of teachers and local government workers should be deducted from local government allocations for pension and gratuity payments and managed by the local government staff Pension Board.
A five percent grant for traditional councils should also be deducted and remitted into traditional council accounts.
