NUPENG warns govs against diversion of Paris Club refund

THE Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has warned the 36 state governors not to divert the Paris Club refund purposely paid by President Muhammadu Buhari to settle workers’ salaries.

President Buhari had approved the release of the 50 per cent Paris Club debt refund to the 36 states governors to enable them to pay salary arrears before Christmas.

However, the union stated in a statement signed by its National President, Comrade Achese Igwe, that it is a good policy direction to end the sufferings of workers and pensioners in 21 States where they are owed out of the 36 States that make up the federation.

NUPENG warned that it will be unfair and unjustifiable for any of the governors to divert the funds to feather their nests in their 2019 re-election bid or for other political agenda.

The union said it is disappointed at the State Governors’ outbursts that President Muhammadu Buhari did not tell them to clear all salaries arrears before Christmas.

“This shows the level of insincerity, unseriousness, and insensitivity on the plight of Nigerian workers. We were also taken aback by the utterances of the governors that the 50 per cent Paris Club balance will not be enough to offset salary arrears,” it said.

The union said it believed that the governors are selfish, parochial and don’t have the interest of the masses at heart by owing workers’ salaries for about 6 – 10 months.

The union warned that the attitude of the governors portends danger that can cause a revolt and prolonged industrial crisis if they refuse to obey President Buhari’s order to use the money to pay the backlog of salaries owed.

NUPENG called on the President to set up an independent monitoring team to know how the state governors spent the monies and where cases of diversion are established, the state governors should be sanctioned.