GOVERNOR Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, yesterday, said he will implement the Federal Government’s no-work no-pay policy, stating that only “political civil servants” were on strike, as “real civil servants” in the state were on their duty posts every day.
Governor Bello, who stated this after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari behind closed-door at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, also said the state security apparatus had adopted new style to deal with criminal elements.
He added that the state was secured and hosting expatriates that had cashed in on its friendly atmosphere to invest, noting that his government owed workers two months salaries.
Bello said: “I came to brief Mr. President of developments in Kogi State. I need to give him updates on happenings in the state and he is pleased with the briefing that I gave to him. And he encouraged me to keep up the good job that I am doing.”
Meanwhile, the organised labour in Kogi State has frowned upon the ‘no work, no pay’ of the state government, following the strike embarked upon by the state workers.
In a joint statement on Saturday, the secretaries of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Olakunle Faniyi; the Trade Union Congress, Kolawole James; and the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, Isah Abubakar, noted that the Secretary to the Kogi State Government, Mrs. Folashade Ayoade, in a circular to ministries, department and agencies, threatened to implement the ‘no work, no pay’ policy, based on a provision of the Trade Dispute Act.
According to the unions, Ayoade failed to mention the legislation that empowers governments to deny workers their salaries for 21 months.
It advised workers to ignore the threat, saying, “The unions also frown upon the fake stories the governor’s media office has been planting in some newspapers to give the impression that the strike was shunned by workers.
“This is another waste of scarce resources by the government that claims it doesn’t have money.”
