Musa Na Allah, Sokoto
Sokoto state Governor Ahmed Aliyu has disclosed the recovery of misappropriated N30,000 Sallah gifts meant for local government staff and primary school teachers in the state.
The funds were allegedly diverted by unscrupulous officials during the 2024 Eid-el-Adha celebrations.
The Governor made this known while addressing various labour unions at the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held at the Giginya Stadium in Sokoto.
“We have successfully recovered the diverted funds, and arrangements are underway to disburse the money to the rightful beneficiaries in accordance with established procedures,” Governor Aliyu stated.
It would be recalled that in 2024, Governor Aliyu approved a goodwill payment of N30,000 for all civil servants in the state to cushion the costs of the Sallah celebrations.
However, the portion allocated for local government employees and primary school teachers was reportedly misappropriated.
Governor Aliyu used the May Day platform to reiterate his administration’s commitment to revitalizing the state’s civil service and enhancing efficiency and performance.
“We have ensured the prompt payment of salaries by the 19th or 20th of every month. This is a stark contrast to the delays experienced under the previous administration,” he said.
He also confirmed the full implementation of the new national minimum wage of N70,000 for all civil servants, including those at the local government level and in the Local Government Education Authority (LGEA).
“In addition, we have cleared a backlog of N15 billion in gratuities owed to retirees since 2016. We now release N500 million monthly for this purpose, along with an additional N300 million allocated for retirees from 2023 to date,” the Governor revealed.
Other achievements include the restoration of monthly cash allocations to all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), which were previously suspended by the past administration.
Governor Aliyu also highlighted efforts in civil service development, such as capacity-building workshops and training programs aimed at improving professionalism and productivity among public servants.
“We have addressed stagnated promotions and are integrating civil servants into the state’s housing policy through an owner-occupier scheme,” he said.
He also announced the launch of Shagon Sauki na Ahmadun Alu, an initiative to provide essential commodities to civil servants at highly subsidized prices. “This is part of our broader strategy to improve workers’ welfare,” he added.
In his address, the Sokoto State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Abdullahi Aliyu, commended Governor Aliyu’s commitment to workers’ welfare. He particularly praised the timely salary payments and the full implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage.
“Under the past government, salaries were delayed for up to 50 days. Today, we are paid promptly. This shows leadership with empathy,” the NLC Chairman said.
Comrade Aliyu also lauded the Governor’s decision to appoint him as chair of the state’s verification committee tasked with eliminating ghost workers.
“We have made significant progress and saved vital public funds,” he stated, pledging the continued support of the NLC for the administration.
