Why FG Workers Want Minister of Finance Sacked - Govt. Official Speaks on N1.2bn Demands

Posted by Odinaka on Mon 20th Jun, 2016 - tori.ng

As some staff of the federal ministry of Finance staged a protest today calling for the sack of minister Kemi Adeosun, the ministry has held its ground that it is not owing any legitimate staff salary or allowance and that the demands of the staff was not justifiable.

We reported it here few hours ago that placard-wielding federal workers were pictured protesting earlier this morning as they reportedly locked the main gate of the Ministry of Finance and prevented the minister, Kemi Adeosun, from entering her office.

The civil servants in the ministry are reportedly asking President Muhammadu Buhari for the removal of the minister of finance for an “unjust N1.2 billion allowance” cancelled under the last administration.

The ministry’s director of information, Salisu Na’inna Dambatta, disclosed to correspondents that the joint protest was carried out by some staff of the ministry, office of the accountant-general of the federation and the budget office, adding that the ministry held its ground that it is not owing any legitimate staff salary or allowance, and that the demands of the staff was not justifiable.

“The payment of what the protesting staff called a Special Overtime (SOT), was stopped by the last administration in 2014 on the ground that it was not listed in any extant government Circular, Financial Regulations or the Public Service Rules.

“The sum of N1.2 billion computed by the staff union for payment could not have been budgeted for in 2016 in the first place, not only because of the paucity of funds, but also the fact that the SOT allowance was not part of the remuneration in the Federal Public Service.

“The Federal Ministry of Finance, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Budget Office of the Federation, do not individually or collectively, owe any of their personnel their salaries.

“In view of the foregone, the Management of the Federal Ministry of Finance wishes to categorically state that the protests have no justifiable grounds,” he said in a statement.

Recall that the workers, at a protest staged on Monday morning at the ministry, said Adeosun was incompetent, asking for her removal.