THE Rivers State government said
irrespective of the House of Representatives report authenticating it’s
ownership of the State’s bombardier jet, aviation authorities continue to
ground the aircraft.
irrespective of the House of Representatives report authenticating it’s
ownership of the State’s bombardier jet, aviation authorities continue to
ground the aircraft.
The state government
has also denied allegation that it intends to slash the salaries of workers in
the state-owned tertiary institutions.
has also denied allegation that it intends to slash the salaries of workers in
the state-owned tertiary institutions.
The Commissioner for
Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, explained that weeks
after the House Joint Committee on Justice and Aviation interaction with both
authorities in the aviation sector and the Rivers State government officials,
both the Ministry of Aviation and Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) are
yet to grant the state aircraft the petition it requires for flying once again.
Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, explained that weeks
after the House Joint Committee on Justice and Aviation interaction with both
authorities in the aviation sector and the Rivers State government officials,
both the Ministry of Aviation and Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) are
yet to grant the state aircraft the petition it requires for flying once again.
“We were told that there
was some penalty and we were waiting to be told what penalty is so that we can
make payment as appropriate so that the aircraft can be released.
was some penalty and we were waiting to be told what penalty is so that we can
make payment as appropriate so that the aircraft can be released.
“We are yet to be
briefed appropriately by the relevant authorities. We have tried to engage them
and at the last engagement, we were told to go and wait, that they would
contact us when they have been directed to do so,” said Semenitari.
briefed appropriately by the relevant authorities. We have tried to engage them
and at the last engagement, we were told to go and wait, that they would
contact us when they have been directed to do so,” said Semenitari.
On the allegation that
government plans to cut tertiary institution workers salaries,
she explained that the office of the Head of Service (HoS) had
uncovered that certain staffers in the two state-owned universities— University
of Science and Technology and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education,
Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt — were earning above their statutory pay.
government plans to cut tertiary institution workers salaries,
she explained that the office of the Head of Service (HoS) had
uncovered that certain staffers in the two state-owned universities— University
of Science and Technology and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education,
Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt — were earning above their statutory pay.
“Here is what is happening.
We had a situation where the head of service upon assumption, noticed some
infractions and some inconsistencies where certain staff were earning beyond
their statutory pay and this is not as in a group.
We had a situation where the head of service upon assumption, noticed some
infractions and some inconsistencies where certain staff were earning beyond
their statutory pay and this is not as in a group.
“That is you find specific
individual. You may find one or two persons who have done some funny things,
some dubious things and manipulated salaries over and beyond what is their
statutory, what they should be earning,” she said.
individual. You may find one or two persons who have done some funny things,
some dubious things and manipulated salaries over and beyond what is their
statutory, what they should be earning,” she said.
The commissioner said some
unscrupulous persons within the two universities system have over the years
manipulated the salary vouchers through over bloated number of non-existent
staff and in the process have been swindling the government.
unscrupulous persons within the two universities system have over the years
manipulated the salary vouchers through over bloated number of non-existent
staff and in the process have been swindling the government.
She noted that irrespective
of government’s inability to streamline the number of staff in these
institutions, the amount it expended monthly, as salary had remained
astronomically high.
of government’s inability to streamline the number of staff in these
institutions, the amount it expended monthly, as salary had remained
astronomically high.
And to ensure transparency,
the government had invited officials of the institutions to submit a
comprehensive list of all their staffers but to no avail.
the government had invited officials of the institutions to submit a
comprehensive list of all their staffers but to no avail.
Semenitari said following
the failures of the universities to submit a comprehensive list of their
staffers, the government has resolved that from next month, every worker in
state-owned tertiary institutions would be paid directly by the Ministry of
Finance. According to her, the essence
is to help government block leakages in the system.
the failures of the universities to submit a comprehensive list of their
staffers, the government has resolved that from next month, every worker in
state-owned tertiary institutions would be paid directly by the Ministry of
Finance. According to her, the essence
is to help government block leakages in the system.
Source: Guardian
