The N1.3bn Is For Budget Support, Nasarawa Commissioner For Local Govt Tells Organized Labour

Rabiu Omaku

Ahmed Tijjani Aliyu, the Nasarawa state commissioner for Local government and chieftaincy affairs says the N1.3bn speculated by the organized labour was meant for budget support.

He stated this when the Correspondent’s Chapel paid him a familiarization visit, the commissioner called on the organized labour in the state to consider the preponderance faced by the state governor.

Saying that last month allocation stand at N2.3bn while N1.9bn was the monthly wage bill of workers, he added that only the balance of N200m was left for state government from the amount collected from the federation account.

“What do you expect from the government with the lean resource, what happen to the maintenance of security and execution of projects and school feeding program? Do you want the governor to a pay master? .

He in addition averred that some state did not paid workers for the past five months, the commissioner congratulates the new executive of the Correspondent’s Chapel and promised to partner the Chapel at all times.

“The relationship between the government and the press is not mutual, soliciting for cordial understanding between the government and the Journalists in the state, challenging the Press to always balance their report”.

“I’m assuring you that the ministry would involve the Chapel in all forms of activities, saying his doors are always open for the Journalists to clarify issues before going to the press”.

The former secretary of the state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists and the Correspondents of the sun newspaper, Abdullahi Shuaibu in a vote of thanks promised that Journalists in the state would abide by the rule of Journalism profession.

He commended the commissioner for organising a monthly briefing, saying the act is a sign of accountability by the commissioner which he described as first of its kind in the history of the ministry.