TheCable

The All Progressives Congress (APC) says the December salaries of federal workers have been paid. 

As of December 29, some workers in federal ministries, agencies and departments confirmed to TheCable that they were yet to receive their salaries.

Reacting to the issue, the PDP had criticised the Bola Tinubu administration over the non-payment of the federal workers’ salaries.

The PDP had described the situation as “insensitive and unacceptable”, adding that workers were celebrating the Christmas holiday in hunger.

However, responding in a statement by Felix Morka, its spokesperson, the APC accused the PDP of peddling misinformation and described the opposition party as being “hypocritical”.

The party added that current administration has the best interest of workers at heart.

“For the record, the December salaries of federal workers have been paid. But that is a fact that poses an insurmountable challenge for decrepit PDP to ascertain or verify,” the APC said.

“The Party would rather flaunt its folly, incompetence, envy and confusion in a statement that is disgracefully bereft of reason or cogency.

“Indubitably, President Bola Tinubu’s administration has demonstrated far greater sensitivity and commitment to workers’ welfare in his few months in office than all of PDP’s 16 years of reckless and profligate rule.

“In the best interest of workers, the administration has continued to promote qualitative dialogue and engagement with organized labour in prevention and resolution of disputes.

“The welfare of Nigerian workers is at the core of the conception and implementation of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“The PDP’s reckless statement cannot possibly be referring to the same APC-led administration that approved the delisting of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) as a panacea to recurring ASUU strikes; instituted a program of access to student loan; granted N5 billion as palliative for 36 states of the federation; approved additional N35,000 wage bonus for workers as palliative for three months; the upward review of minium wage; payment of backlog for N-Power participants, and cash transfer of N25, 000 to vulnerable Nigerians for six months; grants for farmers and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and free train ride as well as 50 per cent discount in transportation fare for commuters during the yuletide. PDP’s accusations is nothing short of barefaced dishonesty and partisan pettiness.

“The PDP is crying wolf and peddling misinformation even when the organized labour, the defenders of workers’ rights, has maintained mature understanding and disposition. The statement cuts a pitiful profile of a party with a sordid history and a murky future.

“Nigerians are in the clear that President Tinubu’s reforms are designed to reposition and restore the nation to greatness and sustainable prosperity.”