Worried that some states are yet to fully offset the outstanding amount owed pensioners and civil servants despite series of bailouts aimed at offsetting the liabilities, BudgIT recently conducted a survey aimed at ascertaining the frequency and magnitude of challenges encountered by civil servants and pensioners.

The survey focused on three different categories of workers in all 36 states namely: primary and secondary school teachers, state midwives and state secretariat workers. Also, attention was paid to ascertain if retirees at the state level are receiving pensions as at when due.

A statement signed by Ayomide Faleye, Communications Lead said from the survey carried out, “we discovered that 12 states are yet to offset the amount owed secondary school teachers fully and many states are threatening workers to keep the information away from public domain. Notable among states with outstanding liabilities to secondary teachers is Osun and Kogi states. Osun State has been paying secondary school teachers above level 8 only a fraction of their salaries and entitlement for the last 30 months.

“Cumulatively, Osun state owes secondary school teachers above level 8 about 15 months’ salary. Other states with outstanding liabilities to states include Abia, Benue, Bayelsa, Kwara, Imo, Ekiti, Oyo, Ondo, and Zamfara. Kogi State, for instance, owes teachers about 13 months salaries according to the response given by secondary school teachers during the survey.

“Midwives, whose responsibility includes attending to issues around pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, women’s sexual and reproductive health and newborn care - are also bogged down by issues including failure of some state to pay salaries and emolument as at when due. Midwives were questioned during the survey across the 36 states. BudgIT discovered that 10 states are owing midwives salaries as at close of business on September 24, 2018,” the statement said.

“Delta, Imo, Abia, Osun, Plateau, Bayelsa, Ekiti, and 11 other states owe Pensioners entitlement ranging from 1 month to 36 months. Almost all pensioners expressed how unhappy they are, their dissatisfaction with the government and how hard it has been for them to survive despite years of hard work they put into service.

“BudgIT hereby asks States to offset outstanding liabilities to its workers and pensioners as funds in form of bailout estimated to be in the region of N1.8 trillion have been issued to states to offset all outstanding liabilities owe workers,” the statement noted.