Workers Of Nigeria’s Electoral Body, INEC Lament Poor Welfare, Nonpayment Of Peculiar Allowance

Staff members of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have lamented poor welfare and nonpayment of their Peculiar Allowance by the Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

Some of the workers of the electoral umpire told SaharaReporters that former President Muhammadu Buhari approved the payment of 40% Peculiar Allowance for all civil servants on Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS) across the country in January 2023 but while other government parastatals had been paid their staff the approved allowance, the INEC staff had yet to be paid and the Chairman had not said anything about it.

They further lamented that while President Bola Tinubu has released funds to civil servants in the country as palliative for six months to cushion the current hardship orchestrated by the fuel subsidy removal, the INEC chairman was allegedly not willing to pay them the allowance amid the current economic hardship in the country.

According to them, they have sent a letter to Yakubu through the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria about their welfare and the allowance but he has not responded to their request.

Speaking with SaharaReporters, one of the staff members said, “The Chairman of the Commission is not treating the staff well.

“The Federal Government during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari approved the payment of 40% Peculiar Allowance to all Civil Servants on CONPSS since January 2023 but unfortunately all other parastatals have paid their staff but we are yet to be paid and he is not even talking about it.

“Now, the current president has given funds to all civil servants as palliative for 6 months to curb this current hardship but he is still not willing to pay us. We are facing serious hardship.

“We have a letter sent to him by the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria but he still hasn’t responded to their request up to date.”

The ASCSN in the letter dated September 4, 2023, addressed to the INEC Chairman and titled ‘Re: Need to Implement the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS) 40% Peculiar Allowance for Staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’, appealed to Yakubu to pay the INEC staff the allowance without further delay.

The letter signed by the ASCSN’s Secretary-General, Isaac Ojemhenke, read, “I am directed to present the compliments of the National Leadership of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) to the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and to invite your attention to our letter with Ref. No. ASCSN/INEC/ABJ/VOL.III/227 dated 5th May, 2023 on the above subject.

“Sir, it is pertinent to note that given the present economic realities, there is urgent need to commence the payment of the 40% Peculiar Allowance to members of staff of the INEC as they are on the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), to cushion the negative impact of the removal of the subsidy on petroleum.

“In view of the above, the ASCSN wishes to draw your attention to the non-implementation of Peculiar Allowance for the INEC staff and appeal that it should be paid without any further delay.”