List of Nigerian States Owing Workers One Month to Three Years Salary As of July 2022

• A new report has revealed the names of state governors owing workers' salaries as at July 2022
• The list also contained names of some states who are yet to even implement the 30,000 minimum wage
• Despite the opulent lifestyle, the governors have continued to breach the basic contractual provisions that exist between an employer and employee

A new report has revealed a list of 12 states governors who have refused to pay the monthly salaries accruable to civil service workers in their states as and when due.

The report which was compiled by BudgIT, a civic-tech organisation on advocacy for transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s public finance, revealed that the states owe their workers at least one month’s salary as of July 28, 2022.

The organisation expressed displeasure over the condition the civil servants are forced to survive on.

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BudgIT speaks

While speaking about the current realities of affected workers, Iniobong Usen, BudgIT’s Head of Research and Policy Advisory, noted that civil servants’ remuneration, whether at the state or federal level – as and when due – is a necessary part of the employer/employee relationship, Nairametrics reports.

This affects the smooth working of the government. This is not only because the survival and livelihood of civil servants depend on timely salary payment but also because the government’s refusal to pay smacks of the disregard for the legal obligation to pay.

He added,

“Nigerian civil servants are unfortunately no strangers to delays and gaps in monthly salary payments. Despite belonging to the executive implementing arm of the government, they have been left without payments in many instances. With several states guilty of this non-payment, civil servants are often at wit’s end at ‘month end’.”

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Our latest salary survey across the 36 states reveals that some civil servants have not been paid in 30 months. Abia state has not paid some workers in 22 months, while more than 10 states owe at least a month's salary as of July 28, 2022.

States owing 3 years or less

• Abia
• Adamawa
• Ebonyi
• Ondo
• Taraba

According to BudgIT:

"Abia state currently owes its state tertiary institution workers Six (6) months' salary, while Ebonyi has not paid its pensioners in the last six (6) months."

Secretariat workers in Taraba complained of irregular salary payments for up to six (6) months, while lecturers at state tertiary institutions and midwives in the state-owned hospital in Ondo State have not been paid a dime in the last four (4) months.

Civil servant speaks

According to Mr Joseph Anthony (Pseudonym), a secondary school health institution worker in Abia, the Abia state government has not paid salaries in the last ten (10) months.

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The payment made to him in 2021 was his basic salary, which did not include other allowances.

Trouble for school children as Abia teachers begin indefinite strike over non-payment of salaries, others

Meanwhile, School teachers in Abia state had taken a firm decision to embark on strike action over the government's inability to treat them fairly

The teachers accused the Abia state government of owing them several months of salary arrears and their entitlements

For their leave allowances, the teachers said the last time they received such payments was in 2008

Among other demands made by the teachers is the improvement of the learning environment for school children in the state

Source: Legit.ng