National Pilot Denies 4½-Year Salary Arrears Claim By Staff, Says 29 Months Outstanding…Dr Saraki Not Involved

 

…..Dr Saraki Not Personally Responsible for Our Arrears, Aggrieved Staff

The management of National Pilot Newspaper has dismissed claims that its workers are owed four-and-a-half years’ unpaid salaries, describing the allegation as misleading and inconsistent with the company’s records.

The management, in a statement issued by the Managing Director, Alh Billy Adedamola in response to a video circulating on social media, said the salary arrears in question amounted to 29 accumulated months between 2017 and 2021, a period during which the newspaper experienced significant financial difficulties.

According to the management, the arrears should therefore not be presented as four-and-a-half years of continuous non-payment of salaries.

The company explained that during the period of financial difficulty, it made salary payments whenever resources permitted, with some workers receiving full salaries and, on some occasions, partial payments.

It said the historical arrears were separate from the company’s current salary obligations, stressing that National Pilot had returned to regular payment of current salaries for more than five years.

The management also rejected any suggestion that former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, personally owed the affected workers salary arrears.

It explained that the obligations arose from the operations of National Pilot Newspaper as a company and did not constitute a personal financial liability of Dr Saraki.

The statement disclosed that the company had approached Dr Saraki for assistance in addressing the outstanding obligations and that he subsequently provided financial support towards the settlement of the arrears.

According to the management, approximately N18 million provided through the intervention had been used to settle the outstanding entitlements of 30 affected workers.

It said a total of 40 workers were identified under the settlement arrangement, with the remaining 10, including the Managing Director, constituting the second batch.

The management said arrangements were ongoing to complete the payment of the remaining legitimate entitlements and that affected workers had been informed of the payment process.

The statement listed the names of ten remaining staff yet to be settled, saying that efforts are ongoing to ensure their settlement by the management.

It consequently urged members of the public to distinguish between historical salary arrears and the company’s current salary obligations.

The management also expressed concern about what it described as attempts to give the salary issue a political dimension.

It maintained that the matter was essentially a corporate issue arising from financial difficulties experienced by the newspaper several years ago and should not be presented in a manner that creates the impression that Dr Saraki personally owes the affected workers.

The company said it remained committed to resolving all verified outstanding obligations to affected staff.

It further urged members of the public, readers, stakeholders and business partners to rely on verified information concerning the company’s salary obligations.

The management reaffirmed its commitment to the welfare of its workforce and to completing the settlement of all legitimate historical salary arrears.

Meanwhile, the aggrieved workers observed for the avoidance of doubt that, none of the persons mentioned in the management’s statement or by the aggrieved staff accused or alleged that former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, personally incurred or owed the salary arrears being demanded.

The leader of the aggrieved staff, Ms Christie  Doyin noted that it will be mischievous to portray the appeal to the management as an attempt to hold Dr. Saraki personally responsible for the arrears.

“It is also important to correct the impression that the failure to pay salaries was simply because the publisher stopped providing money for salaries.

“The affected workers understand that some of those who received payment were not among those with the outstanding level of arrears now being claimed by some of the aggrieved workers,” she alleged.

According to her, demanding one’s legitimate entitlement is not a political campaign or crime. We are only appealing to our employer and publisher for intervention, we are not interested in political propaganda. The affected workers have no reason to discredit Dr. Saraki, who has helped them or any political organisation.

She, however, urged the management to fulfil its promise to settle the remaining staff as soon as possible.