…as labour unions kick, urge restraint
Federal Government may have concluded arrangements to reduce its workforce.
Already, it is in the process of putting in place an exit package for civil servants and other government workers that will be affected.
According to the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, reducing government workforce has become imperative so as to drastically cut down on its humongous spending on recurrent expenditure every year.
Under the new arrangement, some Federal agencies are also to be merged, a move that will result in the loss of jobs by many Federal Government workers.
The minister, however, explained that FG’s modality for reducing its workforce would not strictly toe the line of the Stephen Oronsaye report, but would be based on a committee recommendation.
She disclosed that FG was working on an “exit package” that would be paid to all affected civil servants and other government workers.
The minister said, “There is a special committee led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) that is working on the review of agencies with the view to collapsing them partly using the Oransanye report.
“At the end of it what we want to do is to reduce the size of government and also to reduce the size of personnel cost and part of it will be designing the exit packages that are realistic.”
Explaining further FG’s rationale for the planned merger of the agencies, the minister said, “We are revenue-challenged.”
Labour unions have, however, warned FG over its plan to sack some of its workers over dwindling revenue.
They warned FG to ensure that affected workers are paid their entitlements in full.
Presidents of two Federal Workers’ unions, Comrade Lawrence Amaechi, President, Nigeria Civil Service Union and President, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Dr Tommy Okon, further cautioned that the decision to sack civil servants should be implemented in accordance with the law.
According to Amaechi, his union will monitor the implementation of the White Paper of the Oronsaye Committee report.
He said, “Before they implement they will put us in their committee and if we are satisfied that Mr A must go where is his cheque?
“If at the time of implementation we are satisfied that Mr A must go, we will ask where is his cheque? Is it complete? Give it to him and he will go and better his life.
“The Oronsaye committee white paper has long been gazetted. At this point we cannot stop it. It is just to follow the implementation; how it will not affect our workers badly.
“When the implementation starts we will know how to fight it.”
But President, ASCSN, Dr Okon, said the union’s position on the planned retrenchment would be made public after a meeting by its organs.
Okon said, “We have to meet as a Congress and take a decision that will be all encompassing. I cannot speak on the position yet until we meet. Once we meet then we will make our position known.”