An aspirant to the House of Representatives, Capt. Casmir Nwafor has said that bill to criminalize nonpayment of salaries to civil servants across Nigeria will be the first bill he would sponsor on the floor of the House of Representatives if elected as member.
Nwafor, a former military officer is seeking to represent the people of the Orumba North/South Federal Constituency of Anambre State in the 2019 general election.
Speaking in his Workers’ Day message to Nigerian workers on the occasion of 2018 Workers’ Day celebration, Capt. Nwafor who is also a lawyer noted that the bill to that effect was already typed and bound assuring that Nigerian workers should reap the fruits of their labour.
While regretting that payment of salaries were now seen as achievement by political office holders, something he argued should be a matter of right for the workers, the aspirant decried a situation where workers were owed salaries for an upward of six months and one year by the leaders while throwing lavish parties and wedding ceremonies and go on vacation across the world describing it as shameful.
“Today all over the world, workers are celebrated for their services at different levels of service, public or private. While some of them in some parts of the world have cheering news and future to celebrate and look up to, ours in Nigeria is a different story.
“My parents were civil servants. While my father died in active service as Chaiman NASU Federal Polytechnic Oko, my mother retired as a staff of Forestry department, Anambra State Ministry of Agriculture. Hence, I know the pain and sweat of being a civil servant in Nigeria as well being a child of a civil servant.
“Sometimes we managed to feed as salaries were neither regular nor sufficient. Even as children, we hawked to make ends meet, to feed, cloth, pay our fees and other rents. Right back from school then, my white shirt goes off for a mufti and with my wares (ice cream and cold water in Lucozade bottles) I dash to the streets and markets. There was no shame in it and my academics didn’t suffer.
“Today, it’s now an achievement to pay salaries, something that should be a matter of right. Our leaders have no conscience or shame that some owe their workers between 6 months and a year salaries. These are same people who will throw lavish parties and wedding ceremonies, go on vacations across the world acquiring property and looting their state and national treasuries to pulp.
“This cannot continue to happen. Our workers should be paid commensurate wages and salaries as and when due. It’s not only moral but also Biblical, Quoranic and Traditional. I join billions of people all over the world to celebrate you and pray God for better things to happen in your careers.
“In the next National Assembly, which I pray to be a member, non-payment of salaries shall be made a criminal offence across Nigeria. That will be my first Bill in the House of Representatives. It is already typed and bound. Our workers should reap the fruits of their labour. God bless you”, he concluded.
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