Story from Sa’adatu MAINA, Damaturu
Yobe State government has clarified reasons for the deduction witnessed in the July salaries of the Local Government Workers, saying it is a temporary measure caused by the economic situation but will be normalized as soon as the situation improves.
Alhaji Abdullahi Bego, the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information, and Culture disclosed on Thursday while addressing newsmen in Damaturu.
Bego said the decision was reached after due consideration and consultations of all relevant stakeholders including the 17 local government areas and was passed after they endorsed the decision.
“Given the nature and scale of the situation at hand, the first and natural impulse would be to say ‘let’s retrench some of the workers or downsize the workforce to be able to handle the fat salary bill.
“But the administration of Governor Mai Mala Buni has refused to contemplate that idea. The governor does not want that workers lose their jobs because of the prevailing economic hardship.”, the Bego.
He explained that following the global economic downturn that also affected the state, the government set up a committee that met at different levels to deliberate on the issue and find better alternatives
The committee according to him recommended to the state government to review the minimum wage of local government employees in the state to N20,160 across all grade levels.
He added that the decision was made with the full knowledge and participation of the relevant workers’ unions in the state.
He emphasized that Yobe government considered workers’ salaries as a priority, which was why it is paid promptly and timely.
“This is why here in Yobe State, salary payments are the first-line charge from government revenue receipts.
“This means that at the end of every month, the state government would first pay the salaries of workers before undertaking any – and all other expenditures.
“The records speak for themselves. Over the past many years, the state government has been very prompt, every single month, in ensuring that workers see their payment alerts without fail.”, Bego said.
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