By Yemie Adeoye
The Federal Government has directed that the payment of the 50 percent salary increases should be made only to members of staff who have been verified biometrically.

This was contained in a statement by the Special Assistant on Labour Matters to the Minister of Power, Mr. Nick Agbo and made available to Vanguard in Lagos.

He said the Ministry found it “awkward that the NUEE general secretary has vehemently rejected the Federal Government policy that all public service employees, including ministers, undergo biometric verification. All Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have undergone biometric verification, which entails the provision of appointment letters, staff numbers, fingerprints and other simple requirements.

The exercise has revealed a huge percentage of ghost workers. It beats the imagination that Mr. Ajaero should ferociously object to the conduct of the verification exercise in the PHCN, an exercise which is in furtherance of the values of accountability, transparency, integrity and good governance.

“In consideration of the above, let it be made crystal clear that the nine billion naira (N9b) which the Federal Government has made available to the PHCN management for the payment of the 50% increase in staff salary for the months of June, July and August will be paid to only PHCN staff members who have been verified.

Any person who refuses to provide biometric data by the end of November will earn any salary.” Agbo also condemned the strike action recently called upon by the NUEE, noting, “The Nigerian law prohibits the PHCN staff from going on strike because they provide an essential service.

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has long validated the wisdom of this law.  Still, the NUEE general secretary ordered on August 25, 2010, a nationwide blackout on the eve of President Jonathan’s historic presentation of The Road Map for Power Sector Reform, so as to sabotage the launch.

In October, last year, he ordered NUEE to embark on a strike in solidarity with the Nigeria Labour Congress whose members were pressing for state governments to pay the new minimum wage of N18, 000 monthly.  This was an unprecedented development in Nigeria’s history.”

He argued that such actions are becoming reckless as, “Carried away by the sense that he is now above the law, Ajaero ordered a few weeks ago a prolonged blackout in government offices in Enugu, including the government house, the governor’s lodge and the secretariat, to show solidarity with state government workers who were on strike.

This action was, of course, unprecedented.” He enthused.