Plateau State Govt To Clear Backlog Of 17 LGAs And To Investigate N200 Million Unwarranted Loan Of The Past Regime

Yakubu Busari

The Commissioner For Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Plateau State, Empraim Usman has said the present government is battling to upset the backlog of workers’ salaries incurred by the past government.

Speaking during the monthly briefing held at Joseph Gwomwalk Secretariat on Tuesday, Usman disclosed that Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang’s administration inherited a backlog of workers’ salary arrears.

He disclosed further that all 17 local governments obtained 200 million naira each before the expiration of their tenure without any project connected to the loan.

According to him, the team of investigators went around the LGAs to assess tour of visiting site of the projects but uncovered no single project was linked to the loan.

He stated that the Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs under his supervision ensured that no Transition Committee Chairmen was allowed to take a loan unless the backlog of arrears and salary was settled.

Caleb Manasseh vowed to complete all pension payments pending since 1986 till date so the government is advising retirees to avail themselves of the ongoing screening.

However, Usman assured of the government’s intention to investigate the corruption in the 17 LGAs, adding that the governor quickly addressed the long-time problem of the traditional council of the Ngolong Ngas which the stool remained for years without a first-class chief.

According to Usman, the regime has arranged to issue digitalized indigene certificates and marriage certificates linking NIN because one person is parading two to three LGAs indigene certificates affecting the state.

He explained that the introduction of the digital version of obtaining the indigene certificate and marriage certificate was to stop corruption and criminality in the state and to help the influx of foreigners in the state.