NNN Workers: Northern Govs Urged To Probe NNDC

Members of the Arewa Youths Movement for Good Governance (AYMGG) have decried New Nigeria Development Company’s (NNDC) delay of the payment of the benefits of New Nigeria Newspapers (NNN) former workers.

The group accused the NNDC of failing to comply with the directive of northern governors to pay the workers’ retirement benefits.

After its expanded regional executive meeting in Kaduna yesterday, the group demanded that the company immediately comply with the Northern Governors Forum’s order to pay the workers. It amented that no action had been taken 100 days after the governor’s directive.

Speaking with newsmen, the group’s North West coordinator, Comrade Ibrahim Ahmadu, said, “We are aware that there was an official letter from the chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum, who is the sitting governor of Gombe State, Inuwa Yahaya, directing the transfer of the NNN beneficiary’s fund to the management of New Nigerian Newspaper for immediate payment.

We also know that NCPL, Northern Capital Properties Limited, a subsidiary of NNDC, wrote a letter to New Nigerian Newspapers requesting account details. Remember, NNN is of equal status with NNDC because NNN is not a subsidiary of NNDC but is also directly owned by the 19 Northern Governors. NNDC is only involved because its subsidiary, NCPL, was awarded the contract to sell New Nigerian Newspapers properties for payment. After that letter was sent to NNN in compliance with Northern Governors, NNDC went behind and wrote to Northern Governors demanding that they pay New Nigerian Newspapers directly instead of transferring the bulk money to New Nigerian Newspapers to pay her workers.

Again, Northern Governors graciously granted that approval now instead of NNDC to comply, they started fresh screening of New Nigeria Newspaper workers an exercise that lasted for two months after which they paid only 177 workers and abandoned over 200, they also hijacked all statutory deductions like check off dues and many others so you see why NNDC is wickedly killing Northern Nigeria. This was the same thing they did to Hamdala Hotel workers.”

“The questions are, is NNDC bigger than Northern Governors? Or is New Nigerian Newspapers now under NNDC? NNDC is aware that 111workers have already died waiting for this money. Do NNDC want everybody in New Nigeria Newspapers to die before they will pay? If NNDC has no capacity, why did they demand to pay NNN workers directly?

Does it mean NNDC expended that money in NCPL’s account on other things without the Northern Governors’ approval? Ahmadu lamented.

“We are calling on the Northern Governors Forum, led by Gombe State Governor Dr Inuwa Yahaya, to direct NNDC to immediately release all New Nigerian Newspapers workers’ benefits to the company for immediate payment. Secondly, to immediately set up a probe panel on NNDC and immediately ask the entire management team and board to step aside. We are sure the governors will discover cans of warms in the NNDC.

We will mobilise all our youths in the Northwestern and Northeastern Regions, especially in Gombe, to March to the Governors very soon,” he added.

Recall that, the initial breakdown of NNN benefits before the payments to 177 workers were Outstanding Salaries of N1, 474, 143, 669.30, Gratuities of N661,050, 385.91, Contract allowances of N7,507, 959.53, 3 months in-lieu of notice amounting to N21,080,699.13, Existing Staff outstanding salaries of N87,491,724.09, statutory deductions of N81,872,906.99 which is now hijacked by NNDC, trade partners/suppliers bill of N 37,069,055.00 and tax liability of N134, 278, 880.44 totaling N2,504,495,2880.44.

Meanwhile, sources confirmed that over 7 billion naira had been raked in after NNDC, through its subsidiary NCPL, got the mandate to sell New Nigerian Newspapers properties with the sole aim of paying New Nigerian Newspaper beneficiaries.