Musa Na Allah, Sokoto
The Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress Sokoto State Council, Comrade Abdullahi Aliyu, popularly known as (Jungle), said that the verification committee under his watch would go ahead with a thorough and transparent verification process of all civil servants in the state despite numerous challenges encountered during the process.
The NLC Chairman made the remarks at the state Ministry of Agriculture venue of the verification exercise on Saturday where he emphasized the importance of ensuring that only genuine and duly employed individuals benefit from the new wage increase.
He expressed concern over reports of ghost workers, fraudulent employment practices, and other inefficiencies in the state’s civil service.
“We come to a point where a married woman from a neighbouring State, Medical Doctors working in other states, some even from overseas, and Teachers presented themselves for the verifications exercise.
“We are all out to sanitize the system, ” we will flush out all unscrupulous elements out of the state payrolls to ensure that only genuine civil servants benefit from the new minimum wage which the state had since commenced payment.”
He noted that the issues of ghost servants have not only strained the state’s resources but also led to a loss of trust among citizens who rely on the government for essential services.
“We cannot continue to overlook the critical importance of having a verified and accountable workforce within the civil service. Every naira spent on salaries must go towards deserving employees who are committed to serving the state with integrity,” Aliyu asserted.
The labour leader also urged the state government to collaborate with relevant bodies and employ more advanced technologies, such as biometric systems for an effective verification process.
He stressed that it was essential to eliminate any form of corruption and mismanagement, which have hindered the state’s growth and development.
Aliyu’s verification committee comes in the wake of state government intention to Commence payment of 70,000 Naira minimum wage and forestall discrepancies in the payment of civil servant salaries, with claims that some individuals are receiving salaries without actually working in government offices.
“Sokoto is the only state of the federation where 70,000 Naira minimum wage is paid from A to Z.
“The new wage increase cut across all categories of civil servants in the state including local government staff and primary school teachers.
“The state Governor Ahmed Aliyu deserves commendation and the labour union is commending him for that on behalf of the entire workforce in the state,” Aliyu stated.
The labour leader’s remarks have resonated with many in the state, particularly those who believe that such verification will lead to a more effective and efficient public service sector.
Aliyu’s advocacy for accountability and transparency in the state’s civil service has earned him widespread support from civil servants, many praising his stance for taking the bull by the horns in conducting the verification exercise.
It remains to be seen what impact his verification committee will have on the future of Sokoto’s public service sector.
