By: PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
The Akwa Ibom State Government has announced a 20 per cent slash in the salaries of political appointees in the state. Reason government said is due to the dwindling revenues caused by the crash in the price of crude oil in the world market.
Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem, Secretary to the State Government (SSG) in a press release issued today and made available to journalists, further explained that the State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel took the decision painfully in order to manage the current realities
“In response to the prevailing economic realities of dwindling revenues, caused by the crash in the price of crude oil in the global market, His Excellency, Governor Udom Emmanuel, has painfully directed, the slashing of salaries of all political office holders by 20%.
“His Excellency the Governor was confronted with an urgent need to take decision on either of two painful options: continue to pay the current salaries for a while and end up being totally unable to pay same subsequently or spread the discomfort (20% cut) sustainably over a period of time pending the return of crude oil price to normalcy in the global market”, Dr Ekuwem stated in the release.
He added, “We must not forget that it was by the same ancient principle of ‘necessity is the mother of invention’, that led to the establishment of the Akwa Ibom State Post Covid-19 Economic Reconstruction Committee by His Excellency the Governor, to recommend navigable routes out of this global economic morass for our State.
“Let us all know and appreciate the fact that these measures are temporary. Akwa Ibom State Government will transparently resume full payment of salaries when this dark cloud passes”.
When contacted for reaction based on possibly same reduction in civil servants salaries, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in the state, Comrade Sunny James said that Labour would resist such move.
According to Comrade James, state government met with the Labour last week with intention to slash workers salaries but labour rejected the move out rightly.
“We told them to go and start with themselves. We said if the Governor was earning N1million, let him reduce it to N500,000. We know what is coming into the state; it is not low enough to touch the salaries of civil servants.
“If they try it, we will resist them. They should reduce capital expenditure”, NLC Chairman stated.
