Embezzlement: Govt ‘siphons’ Rs88b of labourers savings

Labour leaders lash out at financing budget deficit, political ads, flood relief.

HYDERABAD:

Labour leaders have condemned the government for ‘misapplying’ Rs88 billion from the Workers Welfare Fund (WWF) for financing the budget deficit, political advertisements and flood relief. “We want the money back in our accounts with the profit,” they clamoured at a seminar, titled ‘Government’s Attitude Towards Labour Issues’, organised by the Sindh Sugar Mills’ Workers Federation on Saturday.

Under the WWF Ordinance of 1971, the funds can only be used for construction of housing units, education for workers’ children and grants given at the time of any employee’s death and marriages of their children. Each labourer and his employer contribute to the fund, with their share at Rs70 and Rs350 respectively. The revelation of the misuse of funds was made by WWF secretary Ejaz Jaffer at a Public Accounts Committee meeting in Islamabad on May 9. He told the committee that the government had withdrawn around 70 per cent of the amount from the fund’s account. “The fund is meant to be spent on our children and our welfare. We will not the allow government to embezzle our hard-earned money,” said Ashraf Rajput, general secretary of the Sugar Mills’ Workers Federation. A case has now been filed in the Sindh High Court, which has issued notices to federal secretary finance, WWF secretary and other officials for a June 2 hearing in Karachi.

“Sindh contributes the lions share in WWF. Therefore, the loss to the workers of the province is also greater than others,” says Raees Ahmed of Pakistan National Shipping Corporation workers union.

Sindh Labour Minister Ameer Nawab expressed hope that the withdrawn amount would be reimbursed. However, he did not give a definite statement, saying the WWF is yet to devolve to the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22^nd, 2011.