Era of special bonuses gone, Adeosun tells angry workers

Since she assumed office, Kemi Adeosun, minister of finance, has continuously preached fiscal discipline, and she says that discipline must also be seen in her ministry.

At the World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF) meeting in April, Adeosun said fiscal discipline would help Nigeria achieve economic stability.

The minister’s policy has however been seen to be biting hard on some staff in her ministry, budget office, and office of the accountant general.

On Monday, the workers staged a protest, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to fire her.

DAYS OF UNLAWFUL SPECIAL ALLOWANCES ARE GONE

But speaking in Abuja on Wednesday, the minister said when she made the promise to the Nigerian people to enshrine fiscal responsibility in government dealings, she meant it.

“When I said at the start of my tenure that I would restore fiscal responsibility to our economy, it was no idle promise. The money we spend is not our money, it belongs to the Nigerian people,” Adeosun said.

“We need to justify every naira and at a time when all Nigerians are suffering the consequences of the financial crisis inherited from previous administrations, we simply cannot afford to pay out special bonuses to civil servants. Those days are gone.”

NO OVERTIME ALLOWANCE IN 2016 BUDGET

Adeosun said all salaries and lawful allowances are paid on time and in full, emphasising that the overtime allowance sought by some staff is non-statutory.

The ministry had earlier explained that the overtime allowance was carried over from the immediate past administration and cannot continue at such austere time.

“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,” she had said.