Workers” salaries: Kogi assembly summons Accountant-General, others

Kogi State House of Assembly has directed the state’s Accountant General, acting  Head of Service, Commissioner for Finance and the Chairperson of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to appear before it next week Wednesday to explain the accurate numbers of the state’s workforce that have been cleared and paid salaries since June 2015 […]

Kogi State House of Assembly has directed the state’s Accountant General, acting  Head of Service, Commissioner for Finance and the Chairperson of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to appear before it next week Wednesday to explain the accurate numbers of the state’s workforce that have been cleared and paid salaries since June 2015 till date.

The lawmakers gave the summon yesterday after resuming from their recess to begin their third legislative year.

Speaking on the floor of the House, Musa Jimoh Omiata (APC Yagba East), who moved the motion, observed that most of the workers had claimed they were being owed as much as 15 months’ salary by the current administration.

"Some said they were paid on percentage. This has pitched the political elites against the government and also paints the government in a bad light. Most importantly, many lawmakers are at the brink of being stoned by their constituents. The question is: what is the true position of the state in terms of payment of salaries to civil servants," he said.

The lawmakers in their various contributions expressed concerns over the plight of workers and urged the state government to present a comprehensive list of civil servants that have been cleared and paid salaries and their outstandings, if any.

"That the state acting Head of Service, Commissioner for Finance, Chairperson of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and the Accountant General of the State should appear before the House to brief the House on the status of salaries of those who are paid, cleared and uncleared and why and provide us with relevant documents in that respect", he said

Speaker of the House, Umar Ahmed Imam, in his submission emphasised that all the invited government officials should appear in person next week Wednesday.