Senator Ndume Tells FG To Reduce Workers’ Salaries Over Stay-At-Home Order

Borno-South Senate Representative, Senator Ali Ndume has advised federal and state governments to slash the salaries of workers, due to the stay-at-home directive issued by the government.

In an interview with Channels TV on Monday, Senator Ndume said workers do not deserve to get their full salaries because they are not working fully.

He said the slash should be taken as a means of sacrifice from the workers but also recommended that palliatives should be given to the workers to supplement the salary cut.

“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,” said Senator Ndume.

“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.”

The Federal Government had asked civil servants below Grade Level 14 stay at home.

Folasade Yemi-Esan, head of service of the federation, in a memo to all heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies on April 30 directed officers on grade level 14 and above and those on essential services to resume duty 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,” said Yemi-Esan.