Ali Abare, Lafia
A top government official close to Nasarawa State Governor, Umaru Tanko Al-makura, has debunked claims that the governor is owing local government workers 12 months’ salary arrears.
The official, who spoke to our reporter, Saturday, on condition of anonymity, distanced the governor from activities of the councils, particularly regarding to the payment of staff salary.
It would be recalled that recently, there have been concerted effort to drag the name of Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura into the lingering financial crisis bedevilling local government areas in Nasarawa State.
Recall that as part of the activities marking this year’s Workers’ Day, a former state president of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Comrade Salihu Eladoga, accused the governor of owing LG workers 12 months’ salary arrears.
Eladoga was said to have petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari, appealing to the President to prevail on Governor Al-makura to pay the outstanding arrears before he leaves office.
However, our source, who has privy knowledge of the inner workings of the councils, dismissed the claim by the former NULGE leader as not only misleading but an attempt to turn facts upside down.
According to the source, “it will interest Eladoga and others like him, that in Nasarawa State, local government areas have always operated as independent entity from the state government as provided by law.
“Certain factors combined to make the councils unable to pay workers full salary following shortfalls in subventions.
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“Particularly, following the fall in oil prices which led to shortfalls in revenues to governments at all levels, councils in Nasarawa were unable to pay workers 100 percent salaries.
“The decision to pay in percentages was taken so that instead of refusing to pay at all, stakeholders, including labour leaders, jointly agreed to pay in percentages based on available funds.
“It’s a known fact, that the joint account, which is saddled with the responsibility of disbursing funds to the councils, always does its calculations in the open, with labour leaders as observers to ensure transparency.
“Yes, the Governor and House of Assembly have been empowered by law to carry out supervisory role over the councils and the two have been able to do so to ensure development at the grassroots,” the official explained.
On the alleged decision of the state government to deny workers their welfare and promotion just like their counterparts in other states, the source said Comrade Eladoga got it wrong.
“With Governor Al-makura being among the first to implement the then national minimum wage of N18, 000, the governor has demonstrated his concern for the welfare of workers in the state. However, as already stated, shortfall in revenues accruing to the state, made it virtually impossible for the state to pay all allowances at once. Not only that, there have been promotions but the implementation was slow because of the lack of funds.
“It’s therefore wrong to accuse the governor of “deliberately denying” LG workers their “lawful privileges” as stated in the petition written Eladoga, when in essence, Al-makura has continuously demonstrated his abiding love and concern for workers,” the source stated.
