Nigeria Content Online

The presidential
task force on NITEL/MTEL have appealed to the federal government to
ensure an immediate release of the sum of N51.692 billion to settle
outstanding debt owed to employees.

The chairman of the
task force and the minister of labour, Chukwuemeka Wogu, while
presenting the report to the vice president, Namadi Sambo, said the
terms of reference of the task force was to address the issue of
outstanding salaries and allowances owed NITEL/MTEL staff and determine
the number of staff to be disengaged to reduce the wage liabilities of
government, as the enterprises were not operational.

The vice president
said a committee constituted by the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE)
has recently recommended the immediate sale of the company.

“The federal
government will be working on the sale of the company, while exploring
other revenue sources to address the problems enumerated by the task
force as a matter of urgency,” the vice president said.

Mr Wogu also catalogued the challenges his group faced in conducting its assignment.

These include
judgments by an Abuja High Court prohibiting the employment of casual
staff, as it goes contrary to the condition of service, which,
therefore, confers on t hem permanent and pensionable status, even
though the ruling is under appeal by BPE; the appointment of actuarial
consultant who was to foreclose the possibility of inflation of
entitlements; and the lack of funds to adequately execute the
assignment.

Three scenarios

He said the task
force explored three scenarios, which were: to disengage all current
employees and immediately re-engage 445 transition staff from the 3389
staff, with a monthly wage bill of N115.5 million, down the current
N695 million, who will remain to hand over to a new core investor; to
disengage all employees who are currently aged 45 and above and those
that have served 25 years and above – which will reduce the work force
by approximately 66% of the staff and reduce monthly wage bill from
N695 million to N187.6 million. The third option is to disengage all
employees who are aged above 50 and employees that have served 35 years
and above. This, the task force says, is capable of reducing the wage
bill from N695 million to N313.8 million.

“The task force
recommended the adoption of the first scenario, where all staff are
exited and paid off their entitlements,” he said.

Mr. Wogu,
therefore, appealed to the government for the immediate release of the
sum of N51.692 billion to downsize and comply with court orders.