After spending billion on cars shopping spree for Assembly members, Adamawa govt foot dragging on implementation of promotion arrears and payment of minimum wage to workers

The Adamawa State Government penultimate week commenced the delivery of sport utility vehicle (SUV) for members of the state house of assembly, despite foot dragging on the payment of minimum and it’s consequential adjustment to workers, the state government said it couldn’t have paid all workers at once due to lack of funds, a stark contradiction for a state that recently spent billions of naira on new cars for state assembly members.

Investigation reveal that the Adamawa state government only pick about 10 person in state owned agency for implementation of promotion arrears not the entire workers, for instance a worker on grade level 9 still collects salary of workers on grade level 6, local government workers and large section of the state government workers are yet to get the new wage which is also in contradiction of the promises made by the Fintiri led state government in Adamawa that workers welfare is his priority.

This development is coming days after the state governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, had been enmeshed in a claim of lack of funds to pay minimum wage to both state and local council workers.

The Finder cannot independently verify if the contract to supply the Hilux cars and Prado SUV awarded by the Fintiri government follow due process. According to the Adamawa State Public Procurement Law, Contract of this nature is expected to follow standard bidding processes through open competitive bidding.

Despite owing retired civil servants promotion arrears, minimum wage arrears and unable to pay minimum wage to all government workers in Adamawa, the Adamawa  State Government has bought new Toyota land cruiser Prado EX R 2019 cars for the members of the state House of Assembly.

The expenditure is at least N1, 320,000,000 million, going by the unit price of $ 103930.27 for each in Nigeria

Considering the cost of importation, the expected profit by the supplier, and inflated prices associated with government expenditure in Nigeria, the state government is expected to have paid much more for the cars.

Critics described the government’s action as a “misplacement of priority” for a state said to be cash strapped.

Critics and public affairs analysts said the action of the government although not new in Nigeria is “recklessness that has becomes the norm.”

“It is quite unfortunate that we have a weird system of government in Nigeria and unless the people demand what is actually theirs,” a social commentator, Ibrahim Luka, said.

“Beyond the fact that it is a waste of money, none of those lawmakers are poor. But when you see members of the executive cabinets riding big cars, it is expected that the lawmakers get same”.

“My family members that works with state government are yet to collect the new wage, most of them are on level 9 today still collecting salary of level 5, the government are not discussing how a commoner that work with the local government will get the new wage”

A rights crusader, Pwanovi Silas, in his reaction said: “the reckless act of government in Nigeria continues to contribute to poverty.”

He said many state governors give their lawmakers such expensive gifts at the expense of citizens.

The media aide to Adamawa governor, Solomon Kummangar, did not respond to several phone calls placed to him seeking his comment on the issue. Also, the state’s Commissioner for information, Dr. Umar Garba, did not respond to phone calls.

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

%d bloggers like this: