The Senator representing Borno South, Sen. Ali Ndume, has demanded downward review of workers’ salaries, noting that it was a means of sacrifice from the workers.
Ndume, who offered this advice to federal and state governments during an interview with Channels TV, which was uploaded on YouTube on Tuesday, said workers do not deserve to get their full salaries because they are not working fully as a resul of lockdown occasioned by coronavirus pandemic.
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The remark has since generated reactions on the platform and other social media platforms as many commentators described the statement as “wicked advice”.
“Government should critically look at the personnel and recurrent expenditure which consumes about 70 per cent of the budget. Money should be pumped into capital. People should make sacrifices. This is the time to look at issues critically.
“But as I said, When I talk like this – and make my opinion – people look at it and call me all sorts of names. But I try to express myself.
“I think there should be more sacrifice, especially on the personnel side.
“How can you sustain the same personnel and overhead costs when even the work that you are doing most people don’t go to the office now, and they are being paid fully for the month.
“Is there any justification for that? If you cannot work because of the pandemic, then you should be given palliatives and be paid less,” he said.
Daily Trust recalls that the Federal Government, through the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, had in a memo to all heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies in April asked civil servants below Grade Level 14 to stay at home.
The memo partly read: “Officers on GL 14 and above and those on essential services are hereby directed to resume work with effect from Monday, May 4, 2020, in the first instance. Offices are to open three times a week – Monday, Wednesday, and Friday – and close at 2:00 p.m. on each day.”
