Lecturers of Four Gombe state owned institutions of higher Learning,in a joint representative committee,issued a Press statement and descried how non payment of four months Salaries by the present government of Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya is messing them up to be unworthy creditors in the society.
The effected institutions are College of Health Sciences and Technology Kaltungo,College of Legal and Islamic Studies Nafada,Gombe State Polytechnic Bajoga, College of Education Billiri addressed a letter to the Honourable Speaker and Legislators,calling their attention to intervene on the matter.
In the joint letter signed by the various chapters of the labour union leaders suggest a looming strike as a result of excruciating hunger bantering the affected workers because of non payment of September to December 2019 Monthly salaries.
In their letter,they said; “Family responsibilities has piled up and our creditors are always at our doorpost due to the indebtedness created by such action.”
The letter begging the State House of Assembly lawmakers to also address issues of students’ hostel rent,provide basic needs such as water and electricity by not providing financial grant by the Yahaya led government.
The letter reads:
“Honourable member(s), the nonpayment of salaries for the period of four consecutive months could better be imagined than experienced. Most if not all our colleagues who had academic conferences/seminars to attend could not within the period mentioned. More so, uninterrupted academic semester is being dedicatedly observed without strike action because we are passionate mentors.
“Honourable members Sir(s), we implore that, immediate attention be channeled in resolving this long hardship upon these mentioned tertiary institutions as no official communication in respect to why salaries was held.” The letter stated
The letter prayed that the state legislative should,as a matter of urgency unravel the circumstances surrounding the nonpayment of their salaries for the period of consecutive four months.
“If possible, direct the agency of government concerned to immediately pay us all the four months’ salaries without further delay.
“If possible, caution the responsible agency against such dehumanizing and irrational decision in the future, since its position was not made known to these affected institutions.
” We have waited endlessly; your swift intervention will honestly be appreciated.”
They also worried that many of the institutions do not either have principal officers or governing councils and if which is why they call on the government to remove or employ them for their salaries to be paid.
The letter also revealed that one of the contributing issues that is compounding the problem is probably the expiration (11th June,2019) tenure of all the Principal officers of GSCHST Kaltungo and no any tenure renewal by the present Government to that effects.
The Commissioner, Ministry of Higher Education, Meshach Lauco, pushed the whole blamed of the past government of Kwambo Dankwambo of bankrupting the state with undue loans and employment.
According to Lauco that the present government of Yahaya inherited a lot of problem from the previous government,given example with Gombe State University (GSU) where over nine hundred millions naira of their earned allowances was not paid by the past government.
He also said the recruitment done by the past government of Gombe state university of science and Technology in Kumo was done in a rush causing undue financial liability for this government bear.
Lauco heaped,piled up the problem and shifted the blames on the past government who according to him entered irrevocable financial agreement to deduct from sources,indebting the state to be battling to pay only salaries of selected institutions because their financial Present condition.
“Practical speaking as talking state allocation from federal is little above two billion,then tell me how can that solve the myriads inherited problem?
“We are human,we really do understand with them,i want to tell you no body is happy they way things are.” Lauco said
He lamented paying of LGAs salaries was even a problem as the previous government was withdrawing an over draft of 1.2 billion naira,but governor took some drastic actions and the LGAs have been stable as they can pay salaries on their own without collecting an overdraft.
“Out of the five institution We’ve fully paid University of science Technology Kumo,cleared them at once as at December 2019 of their six months salaries because we are streamlining the whole process.
“I assure you plans are on ground to look into the various issues disturbing the schools, and the Government under Yahaya will resolve the problems of the state owned institutions once and for all.” Lauco said
