COVID-19: Delta to cut political appointees, workers’ salaries effective from July for six months
Along with the declining global
economy caused by the devastating coronavirus pandemic, the Delta State
Government said at the weekend that with effect from July 2020, the salary of
political appointees and salaried staff at the level 7 and above will be
suspended for six months.
State Secretary, Mr Chiedu Ebie, who
revealed this yesterday while briefing newsmen in Asaba, said the decision was
part of steps to resolve COVID-19's weakening impact on the national economy.
Saying that the state government had
taken temporary budgetary steps to maintain public spending, Ebie acknowledged
that a agreement was made to review the salaries of employees at a consultative
meeting with the state's organized labor. He said the analysis was difficult,
frustrating yet unavoidable, adding it was a compromise needed to keep the
state going.
He regretted that the N113 billion
downward analysis of the 2020 budget was a product of COVID-19's declining
income.
The SSG said the review was not a
repudiation of the state's new minimum wage but a temporary step that will be
lifted as soon as the economy improves, saying it was without regard to certain
workplace entitlements such as promotion.
Ebie said: "You will recall that,
for the same reason as the decreasing revenues caused by the weakening ripples
of the pandemic, the government recently revised its 2020 budget down by more
than N113 billion , representing more than a 28 per cent decrease in the original
fiscal projections for that year.
"As we continue to struggle with
the challenges of fulfilling other current and equally important
responsibilities to people, we remain firmly committed to state-wide
infrastructure growth, as can be seen from some of the projects that are still
underway given the pandemic and its suffocating economic effects.
"The Okowa led administration as
a responsible government is strongly committed to the welfare and wellbeing of
its workers and the state's people.
"Having been one of the few
states in the federation to have faithfully and fully enforced the new minimum
wage which became operational in November 2019, it has amply demonstrated this
commitment.
The proposed pay reform is indeed a
costly and challenging decision, but under our present circumstances it is
unavoidable.
Post a Comment