Nasarawa Assembly Gives Nasarawa ALGON One Week Ultimatum To Settle Backlog Of L.G Salaries
Rabiu Omaku
Irked over the plight of Local Government workers over the non-payment of their four and half month salaries, The state House of Assembly has given the concerned authorities one week ultimatum to settle the backlog of their monthly bill indefinitely.
The speaker of the state House of Assembly, Ibrahim Balarabe said the one week ultimatum became necessary due to the predicament faced by workers in the thirteen Local Governments and development areas, The House described the unabated data capture and screening exercise conducted by Skye bank as a complete charade and death before arrival.
Honorable Daniel Ogazi (APC) described the exercise as a facade meant to cause disaffection among civil servants at the third tier of Government, Other speakers, Hon. Bar.Ogbera Kana, Muhammed Muluku questioned the rationale behind the non-payment of workers’ salaries, Saying concerted effort needed to be taken to end the preponderances Local Government workers.
The Permanent secretary ministry for Local Government ,Dauda Sabo when asked about the monthly wage bill of Local Government ,Said N2.2bn was expended on civil servants at the third tier of Government.
“In spite of death and retirement of workers at the Local Government level, are you saying the wage bill remain the way it is? “ This question remained unanswered by the P.S Local Government.
The Assembly also raised an eyebrow over the involvement of the ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the signing of finances despite the recent abolition of state/Local Government Joint Account by Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.
Other fundamental issues raised are the number of civil servants in the Local Government; the package used in the payment of workers as well the plight of retirees in the state.
On the overbearing omission of over 13,000 names, the permanent secretary, Bureau for salaries, Abdulkarim Musa and P.S Finance, Gosho blamed council chairmen for presenting inaccurate list of civil servants at their respective Local Governments.
The screening exercise recently conducted by the Government of Nasarawa state was marred by complaints following the missing of over thirteen thousand names cut across civil servants at the state level as well workers in the thirteen Local Governments, Those mostly affected at the state level are secondary school teachers.
Mixed reactions continued to greet the exercise marred by protest by workers from the third tier of Government, The purpose of the state-wide screening exercise has been defeated (death before arrival) reasons being that names of eighteen Directors, Cashier who has served for barely thirty years in service were delisted .
