Paying staff salaries – and more, in today’s news round-up with Cheta Nwanze

by Cheta Nwanze

 

Nigeria-population-1

 

From personal, bitter experience, Nigeria can be a tough place regarding staff salaries. Heck, my combined credit from three different companies, two of which are now out of business, one still pretends to be in business, is eleven months in wages. But that pales in comparison with eighteen months in wages, owed by either the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, or the Ministry of the Environment, to 140 staff of HYPREP. 18 months! That certainly puts a lot of things in perspective.

Perspective such as that felt by certain Wigs, who decided that a guaranteed pension is more important than dispensing justice. To be honest, it does not take a lot to make a logical leap, as to why a person who has been given a little bit of power, but is a) not given remuneration equating that power, or b) has his bar withheld for whatever reason for months on end; will not TAKE, when he is given a chance. As such, sermonising about Judges and SANs will remain just that, sermons.

Indeed like all good sermons, plans remain just plans if there are no structures put in place to ensure adherence to them. Structures such as hefty jail terms for people who dip their hands in the till. Indeed on this very morning tonic about a year back now, we lauded the Senate for initiating a Bill regarding owed salaries. Well, to our knowledge, the Bill has, developed a coma. Same as a Bill on bigger jail sentences for pension thieves. So it will be no shock to me, when someone, somewhere, sometime, becomes N4.21 trillion richer. Indeed, it should come as no shock when, nothing happens to him.

Love life, live healthy

Bits and Bobs

One of the reasons that people get owed salaries is that we have a tendency to spend more than we make. And we will soon be spending even more.

And more, and in the process, teaching our kids how to be lazy, indolent, rent-seeking slobs.

Ikenna’s dad did not understand that one needs some peace and quiet after a joint. So with an axe, Ikenna shut the old man up, permanently.

When people I know get engaged, I normally pray the old Arab prayer, “may you have a hundred sons”. But a hundred extra Omojuwas, I’m not quite sure Uncle Reuben will like me much if that prayer comes to pass.

Right of Reply

Chux Ozokwel wrote,

Considering your agitation for Half of a yellow sun, you missed it’s ok for release…..http://ngrguardiannews.com/life-magazine/moviedom/169498-censors-board-okays-half-of-a-yellow-sun-for-theatrical-release

Chxta responds,

So make I off pant?

Adewolu Adene wrote,

I wasn’t expecting any fresh ideas from the national confab. The pedestrian thoughts & arguments they are engaging in at the confab,are direct descendants of the sterile progenitors with which many of the delegates (mis)governed us during their various stints in power over the years.

Segun Balogun wrote,

I have cringed always at the way folks of my generation dismiss the national confab. Buoyed by history,I have a slightly different, probably optimistic, view.The current confab is in many respect similar to the National Assembly, especially the House of Rep in Third Republic (92-93). NASS then also debuted with “No Go Areas” and the members, regarded widely as wasting time and chopping free money,were laughing stocks.But it turned out that the House of Reps was the only national institution that refused to endorse IBB’s self succession scheme and therefore provided a credible obstacle that finally built up into national outrage. Anarchy reigned then and everything, including the Militirary decrees(constitution) failed.
I have a hunch that the history of thattime is abt to repeat itself. I doubt thatour constitution is strong enough to carry the weight of 2015 thru. It may collapse. And if everything else fails like it did then, this Confab may likely become the cornerstone that the builders rejected. We had better pay attention to it now. who knows…

Chxta responds,

I’ll have some of what you’re having.

 

—————————-

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

cool good eh love2 cute confused notgood numb disgusting fail